Can XRP Really Hit Double-Digit Prices? Why ETF Inflows Alone May Not Be Unrealistic But Insufficient

XRP continues to struggle near the $2.06 mark, despite a remarkable achievement in the crypto investment space. The recent launch of five spot XRP exchange-traded funds—from Bitwise, Canary, Franklin Templeton, Grayscale, and Rex Osprey—has injected unprecedented momentum into institutional adoption. Within just 11 to 12 trading days, these newly launched investment vehicles accumulated over $1 billion in assets, representing approximately 473 million XRP tokens locked within them. This rapid capital influx stands out as exceptionally fast for nascent financial products entering the mainstream market.

The ETF Phenomenon vs. Market Reality

The surge in ETF adoption reveals a striking disconnect: while Wall Street accelerates its crypto integration, mainstream investors remain largely unaware of these developments. Market observers attribute this awareness gap to lingering skepticism about digital asset infrastructure and limited regulatory frameworks. However, recent developments—including the resolution of Ripple’s long-standing legal challenges and emerging policy discussions around the Clarity Act—suggest that the regulatory environment may be shifting favorably.

Yet this institutional capital influx hasn’t translated into significant price appreciation for XRP. The token remains locked in a narrow trading range, facing consistent selling pressure at higher levels. This gap between ETF success and price stagnation raises an important question: does access alone drive sustainable value?

Expert Perspective: Why Timing Matters

According to analysis from industry figures like Nischal Shetty, Co-founder of Shardeum, expecting XRP to achieve double-digit valuations based solely on ETF demand dynamics may prove unrealistic without fundamental support. The distinction matters here: initial ETF flows typically attract short-term traders seeking quick exposure, rather than long-term institutional capital with serious commitment.

Institutional players, Shetty notes, require three key elements before committing significant capital: tangible settlement volumes in real-world applications, robust liquidity infrastructure, and regulatory certainty. “ETF access improves the ease of trading and distribution channels,” he explained, “but it doesn’t create the foundational use cases that give a payments token lasting value.”

What’s Actually Required for XRP Growth

The key insight is the difference between liquidity and utility. While ETFs certainly democratize access to XRP and may attract new capital flows, they cannot independently establish the enterprise adoption and on-chain settlement demand that sustains long-term price appreciation. For XRP to achieve meaningful upside, the market would need to see:

• Increasing real-world settlement activity and transaction volumes
• Major enterprise partnerships utilizing XRP for cross-border transfers
• Continued regulatory acceptance and framework clarity
• Market recognition of XRP’s specific use case in payments infrastructure

The coming months will test whether regulatory breakthroughs and growing institutional interest can finally align with actual adoption demand.