Ripple’s XRP Token Draws Institutional Interest Amid Market Downturn
Despite a recent 8% dip in its price, Ripple’s native token, XRP, continues to attract significant interest from institutional investors and large holders, often referred to as “whales.” This sustained appeal comes as the broader cryptocurrency market experiences a significant downturn.
Institutional Inflows Bolster XRP
Spot XRP Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) have seen substantial capital inflows, indicating a growing confidence among more conservative investors. These financial instruments have recorded 10 consecutive weeks of positive net inflows, accumulating approximately $1.75 billion. The past two days have further bolstered this trend, suggesting the positive momentum is likely to persist.
Companies such as Bitwise, Franklin Templeton, Canary Capital, 21Shares, and Grayscale have already launched spot XRP ETFs. Several other firms are awaiting regulatory approval to join this growing list.
In a notable development, T. Rowe Price has updated its cryptocurrency ETF filing to include exposure to multiple digital assets, with XRP allocated a 9.15% weighting. Separately, Exchange Listed Funds Trust has submitted a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the “CYBER HORNER S&P 500® and XRP 75/25 Strategy ETF.” This proposed ETF, if approved, would allow investors to gain exposure to both the stock market and XRP in a 75/25 ratio.
Whales Accumulate Amidst Market Dip
Institutional investors are not the sole beneficiaries of XRP’s appeal. Last week, whale addresses acquired over 1.54 billion XRP tokens within approximately 96 hours. This accumulation surge followed the failure of the CLARITY Act in the U.S., which triggered a market pullback. The timing suggests that large investors viewed the price dip as a favorable buying opportunity.
Ripple Executive Discusses Stablecoins and Regional Expansion
Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East & Africa, recently shared a stage at the MESA Forum with representatives from financial giants including BlackRock and HSBC. The discussion centered on stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and other related financial innovations.
Merrick highlighted the role of stablecoins, such as Ripple’s own RLUSD, in facilitating seamless value transfer between institutions, even those without pre-existing relationships. He emphasized that RLUSD is designed to complement, rather than replace, traditional banking systems by enabling greater liquidity movement.
Furthermore, Merrick indicated that the United Arab Emirates is actively fostering its digital asset ecosystem. He pointed to the Dubai Financial Services Authority’s (DFSA) recognition of RLUSD as a crypto token within the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) in the summer of 2025 as evidence of this openness.
RLUSD, officially launched in December 2024, has garnered support from prominent exchanges and institutions. Its market capitalization has since grown to $2.37 billion, positioning it as the 43rd-largest cryptocurrency and the ninth-largest stablecoin globally.
XRP Price Outlook
Earlier this week, XRP reached a high of nearly $1.65, its strongest performance since the beginning of 2026. However, the broader market correction has since impacted XRP, pushing its price down to $1.47, according to CoinGecko. Analysts suggest that XRP is currently attempting to reclaim the $1.50 level to initiate a new rally, with $1.61 identified as a key resistance point. A successful breach of this level could potentially pave the way for a move towards the $1.70-$2 range.
