XRP ETF Greenlit—But Don’t Break Out the Champagne Yet (It’s Not a Spot ETF)
Regulators just handed the crypto world a curveball: an XRP ETF approval that deliberately sidesteps the spot market. Institutional investors get a new playground—retail traders get leftovers.
Why this matters: The SEC’s latest move keeps direct crypto exposure locked behind derivatives, maintaining their favorite game of ’trust us, it’s basically the same thing.’ Meanwhile, Wall Street quietly positions itself to profit from the arbitrage.
The fine print: This futures-based ETF will track XRP’s price through the CME’s usual rigmarole—meaning fees, contango, and all the other tricks that let traditional finance skim value before it reaches actual holders.
Bottom line: Another ’innovation’ that cuts crypto’s legs out from under it while pretending to embrace decentralization. But hey—at least some banker’s kid gets a nicer yacht.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the first-ever XRP futures ETF, launched by ProShares. This ETF is expected to go live on April 30th, 2025. While it’s not a spot ETF — which tracks the actual price of XRP — it’s still a huge step forward for XRP’s recognition on Wall Street.
The ETF approval comes just a few years after Ripple, the company behind XRP, was locked in a long legal battle with the SEC. Now, XRP is moving from courtrooms to trading floors, joining the ranks of Bitcoin and Ethereum, which already have both futures and spot ETFs.
Some investors were unsure at first, asking, “Why futures and not spot?” But futures ETFs are often the first step. This was the path for Bitcoin and Ethereum, and experts believe a spot XRP ETF could be next. Futures trading allows big institutional investors to take positions on XRP, whether the market goes up or down — a common and healthy part of mature financial markets.
BREAKING: SEC Approves an $XRP ETF — and It’s HUGE
No, it’s not a Spot ETF yet.
It’s a Futures ETF — but don’t underestimate what this means.
Here’s the breakdown:
Wall Street attention: Big players have a way to trade XRP.Mainstream legitimacy: XRP is officially… pic.twitter.com/AWHTBjijeR
Experts called the approval a game-changer, pointing out that this move gives major players a way to legally and securely trade XRP. And the good news doesn’t stop there. In Brazil, the XRP H11 ETF has just launched on the country’s main stock exchange, making it the first XRP-focused ETF in the world. This global momentum suggests XRP is no longer being left behind.
Just a few years ago, XRP was under heavy legal scrutiny. Now, it’s being listed on international exchanges, with regulated investment products opening the door for more adoption.
From being targeted by regulators to becoming a favorite of institutional investors — XRP is clearly turning the page.
