XRP Just Surpassed Ethereum In This Key Metric - And Bitcoin Is Next In Its Sights

Move over, Ethereum. There's a new number two in town—and it's setting its crosshairs on the king itself.

The Quiet Takeover

While crypto Twitter argues about memecoins and Layer 2s, XRP executed a silent coup. It didn't just close the gap; it blew past Ethereum in a fundamental category that actually matters for real-world use. No hype, no fanfare—just a metric that institutional players watch like hawks.

Beyond the Speculation

This isn't about price pumps or social media buzz. It's about utility, adoption, and the cold, hard numbers that separate flash-in-the-pan projects from foundational infrastructure. XRP's climb speaks to a maturation—a shift from 'what could be' to 'what is being used right now.'

The Final Frontier

With Ethereum now in the rearview, only one peak remains. Bitcoin's dominance in this arena has long been considered unassailable. But in crypto, today's fortress is tomorrow's target. The race for true utility is on, and it's no longer a one-horse show. After all, in traditional finance, they'd call this 'healthy competition.' In crypto, we call it a threat to the established order.

Let the games begin.

XRP Ranks Above Ethereum In Institutional Interest

Grayscale drew attention to its Head of Research, Rayhaneh Sharif-Askary’s statement during the XRP Community Day, in which she revealed that the altcoin is the second most talked about asset behind bitcoin in some cases. This puts the token ahead of other altcoins, including Ethereum, in terms of crypto assets that are generating interest among institutional investors. 

Sharif-Askary noted that advisors are constantly asked by their clients about the altcoin, a development that provides a positive outlook for the altcoin. Grayscale is notably among the crypto ETF issuers that offer an XRP ETF. These funds have seen significant inflows since they launched in November last year. 

Wall Street giants such as Goldman Sachs and Jane Street have already disclosed significant exposure to the token through these ETFs. According to Goldman Sachs’ Q4 filing, it currently holds shares in Bitwise, Franklin Templeton, Grayscale, and 21Shares’ XRP funds. 

SoSoValue data shows that these ETFs currently have net assets of just over $1 billion, which represents 1.17% of the altcoin’s market cap. These funds have also continued to see considerable inflows despite the current crypto market downtrend. This month, they have recorded net inflows of $46.69 million. Meanwhile, the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs continue to see outflows and are expected to see another month of net outflows. 

Crypto pundit X Finance Bull highlighted this demand for the token among institutional investors, noting that they were likely positioning ahead of regulatory clarity. The pundit expects that the altcoin will be one of the major beneficiaries once the CLARITY Act is passed. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has predicted that the crypto bill could be 80% close to signing by April. 

The Altcoin Leading In YTD Flows

A CoinShares research report shows that the XRP funds are currently leading Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other crypto assets in year-to-date (YTD) inflows. These funds have seen $148 million in YTD flows while the BTC and ETH funds are in the red at the moment, with YTD outflows of $1 billion and $458 million, respectively.

Furthermore, the Solana funds are behind XRP, with YTD inflows of $99 million. It is worth noting that XRP funds again saw inflows last week, as Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs bled. CoinShares shows that these funds recorded net inflows of $33.4 million. On the other hand, the BTC and ETH ETFs saw outflows of $133 million and $85 million, respectively.

At the time of writing, the altcoin price is trading at around $1.47, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.