BlackRock’s filing for an XRP ETF is highly awaited in the XRP community, as the company manages $11.6 trillion in assets. Franklin Templeton, a $1.5 trillion asset manager, recently filed its own S-1 form for an XRP ETF. With increasing interest in digital assets, companies like BlackRock are eager not to miss the opportunity, as they did with Bitcoin ETFs. The competition is intensifying with many firms, including Grayscale, eager to offer XRP futures ETFs.
Nate Geraci, president of The ETF Store, has forecasted that BlackRock will file for both Solana and XRP ETFs. He predicts that a Solana ETF could be filed at any moment, while an XRP ETF would likely come after the conclusion of the SEC lawsuit.
For the unversed, in July 2023, a court ruled that Ripple’s direct sales of XRP to institutional investors broke securities laws, but sales on public exchanges did not. This resulted in a $125 million fine and restrictions on Ripple’s institutional XRP sales. The SEC has dropped cases against major crypto firms, and XRP could be next. Also, President Donald Trump’s administration created a Crypto Strategic Reserve, which includes Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA).
BlackRock currently leads the market in both Bitcoin and Ether ETFs by assets, and Geraci believes the company won’t let competitors launch ETFs on two of the top five non-stablecoin crypto assets without putting up a fight. Additionally, he predicts that BlackRock will also file for crypto index ETFs in the future.
Industry watchers are excited about the race, as BlackRock’s involvement would significantly impact the future of XRP ETFs, mirroring the success of Bitcoin ETFs. The SEC’s delay in approval may provide time for additional players like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton to solidify their positions. The race for XRP-related financial products is on, and all eyes are on the SEC’s next steps.
Investors are closely monitoring these developments, hopeful that clearer regulations will guide the market forward and attract more institutional investors into the cryptocurrency space. The future of XRP and digital asset ETFs looks promising as industry giants gear up for what’s expected to be a game-changing year.
