SEC Greenlights ProShares XRP Futures ETFs—Trading Begins April 30
Wall Street’s latest crypto cash grab gets the regulatory nod—just in time for Q2 earnings season. ProShares now gets to bet against your bets on XRP’s volatility.
Why it matters: The SEC’s rubber stamp means institutional money can finally short Ripple’s embattled token through regulated channels. Cue the ’healthy market maturation’ PR spin.
The kicker: These futures ETFs won’t even hold actual XRP. Just synthetic contracts tracking its price swings—because why touch the asset when you can profit from its turbulence?
Image Source: SEC
ProShares Readies XRP ETFs as Spot Approval Remains Elusive
The ETFs are set to go live on April 30, 2025, marking another milestone for XRP-related investment products in the United States. However, no approval has yet been granted for a spot XRP ETF.
Several applications, including one from fund manager Grayscale, remain under review, with a critical SEC decision deadline looming on May 22.
ProShares’ move comes shortly after Teucrium launched the first-ever XRP futures ETF earlier this month. Teucrium’s 2x XRP fund recorded more than $5m in trading volume on its debut day, making it the firm’s most successful launch to date.
New XRP Listings Signal Softer Regulatory Stance After Court Victory
The recent surge of XRP-focused investment products reflects a shifting regulatory landscape.
Last week, CME Group announced that XRP futures would soon be listed on its derivatives exchange. The new offerings will appear alongside Bitcoin, Ether and Solana products. As a result, momentum around XRP investment products continues to build.
This surge follows the resolution of a years-long court battle between Ripple Labs and the SEC. In March, Ripple secured a final legal victory. Consequently, significant regulatory hurdles for XRP’s use and listing across financial markets have been removed.
Investors and issuers have long awaited a spot XRP ETF. Such a product would track the token’s price directly, rather than through futures contracts. However, spot crypto ETFs have historically faced greater resistance from regulators. Recently though, approvals for spot Bitcoin ETFs have raised hopes that other tokens could eventually follow.
For now, ProShares’ futures-based products provide investors with an alternative way to gain exposure to XRP’s price movements. As a result, the market’s response in the coming weeks will be closely watched. Attention will be especially high as the SEC approaches its next major decision on Grayscale’s spot XRP proposal.
