SEC Calls XRP a Commodity, Franklin Templeton Says It’s the Next Bitcoin: What Comes Next?

XRP is making headlines again. According to recent reports, Franklin Templeton’s research team says XRP is “moving toward Bitcoin and Ethereum-level institutional adoption.” 

BTC and ETH have long dominated regulated investment products, making this comparison notable and signaling growing institutional interest in XRP. The firm points to XRP’s role in cross-border payments as its core utility. 

One of the executives also reportedly said that the token’s price is “critical to cross-border payments,” linking its market value directly to its function in international transfers. Unlike typical altcoin coverage, this perspective focuses on real-world utility rather than speculative gains.

Turning Research Into Action

Franklin Templeton didn’t stop at research. The firm launched the Franklin XRP ETF (XRPZ), giving investors regulated exposure through traditional brokerage accounts. With $1.6 trillion in assets under management, creating a standalone XRP product reflects a serious commitment to the token’s adoption beyond speculation, showing that it is being recognized as a functional asset for financial operations.

Network data supports this growing adoption. According to Santiment, the XRP Ledger continues to expand, with over 5.6 million wallets holding less than 100 XRP, 2 million wallets holding between 100 and 100,000 XRP, and more than 32,000 wallets holding over 100,000 XRP. This distribution indicates increasing institutional and high-net-worth participation on the network.

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Regulatory Clarity Boosts Growth

On March 17, the SEC and CFTC classified XRP as a commodity alongside BTC, ETH, Solana, and Cardano. This designation provides custodians like Northern Trust, State Street, and Citi clarity on which assets to support and how to manage them, reducing uncertainty for institutional players.

XRP Price Outlook

Despite a broader downtrend since October 2025, XRP remains above its multi-year ascending triangle breakout level confirmed in November 2024. Analyst CasiTrades says XRP is showing a small bounce, but the overall trend still looks weak. The price keeps hitting a line that’s acting like a ceiling, making it hard to go higher. In the short term, it could rise to around $1.40–$1.41 and then maybe $1.51–$1.55. 

But if it can’t break above $1.65, the next move could push it down toward $0.87. The analyst advises keeping an eye on these levels and not getting caught up in the small ups and downs.

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