Ripple CEO Predicts Crypto ETF Boom—And Wall Street’s Late to the Party

Crypto’s about to get the Wall Street stamp of approval—whether traditional finance likes it or not. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse sees an ETF explosion coming, and here’s why the floodgates could open.

ETFs: The Trojan Horse for Institutional Adoption

Forget begging for regulatory clarity—crypto ETFs bypass the debate entirely. They let big money play while keeping regulators (mostly) happy. Garlinghouse bets this loophole triggers a domino effect.

Wall Street’s Favorite New Casino Chip

Asset managers love ETFs—they’re fee-generating machines wrapped in respectability. Now that Bitcoin ETFs proved the model, expect every major player to rush in. Even the SEC can’t slow this gold rush.

The cynical take? Banks will finally embrace crypto—just in time to take credit for the revolution they spent years fighting. Typical.

Ripple CEO Garlinghouse participated in Ripple’s “Crypto in One Minute” podcast, delving into the crypto-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) just days after the historic launch of the first XRP futures ETF on Nasdaq. 

His crisp, insightful remarks shine a spotlight on why crypto-based ETFs are catching everyone’s eye and why traditional finance is finally opening its doors to digital assets.

Why the Buzz Around Crypto ETFs? Garlinghouse Shares Two Big Reasons

Garlinghouse identified two major drivers behind the growing excitement around crypto ETFs since their January 2024 debut.

First, institutional investors – from pension funds to endowments – have long struggled to access crypto assets directly. Before ETFs, they were stuck with cumbersome self-custody or relying on centralized exchanges, which limited their ability to trade crypto efficiently.

Now, crypto ETFs have smashed that barrier, enabling Wall Street heavyweights and financial institutions to seamlessly trade crypto. This newfound accessibility is a game changer.

Second, Garlinghouse argues that crypto ETFs are ‘institutionalizing the entire crypto industry’. He pointed to Bitcoin’s ETF as a historic example: it was the fastest ETF ever to hit $1 billion in assets and quickly soared past the $10 billion mark, leaving behind all other ETFs.

Garlinghouse predicts Bitcoin ETFs will eventually rival gold ETFs. Bold claim!

XRP Futures ETFs Signal Crypto’s Institutional Leap Forward

The launch of Volatility Shares’ XRP futures ETF on Nasdaq, under the XRPI ticker, marks a transformative step, following CME’s XRP-futures debut on May 19, 2025.

Just before a month of its launch, Teucrium’s 2x Long Daily XRP ETF and bitcoin futures’ 2017 legacy underscore market maturation. Despite SEC delays, XRP’s resilience, recovering from $2.29 to $2.34, shows investors’ trust.

XRP Community Blends With Garlinghouse’s Insights

Garlinghouse’s sharp insights have ignited a buzz across social channels like X. Many praised his clear, concise take as the best one-minute crypto briefing around.

Users highlighted how institutional warming to crypto – especially XRP’s growing role in futures and ETFs – signals a broader shift. Conversations also touched on Bitcoin’s notorious volatility, Solana’s breakout potential, Pi token’s Kraken debut with 20x leverage, and JPMorgan’s recent stablecoin considerations amidst regulatory uncertainties.

looks like institutions are warming up to crypto rn. xrp’s role in this shift is undeniable, especially with futures & etfs in play. beyond that, btc touched new highs but saw quite a pullback. solana might break out soon if its macd keeps moving upwards. pi token’s debut on…

Exciting Era for Crypto

As XRP hits new milestones and the crypto ETF market matures, Garlinghouse’s perspective underscores a transformative moment for institutional crypto adoption.

While regulatory roadblocks like SEC delays remain, XRP’s bounce-back, coupled with growing traction in Bitcoin and Solana markets, paints a interesting (and bullish) picture.