🚀 XRP to $26? How $5B ETF Inflows Could Trigger a Price Explosion

Wall Street's latest crypto crush—XRP ETFs—might just send the token stratospheric. Here's the breakdown.

The $5 billion catalyst

If these funds pull in $5B within their first month (a tall order, given Wall Street's track record of overpromising), historical inflows suggest XRP could 10x from current levels. That puts $26 squarely in play.

Why this isn't 2021 redux

Unlike meme coin mania, ETF money represents institutional powder—the kind that moves markets without Twitter hype. Though let's be real: half these bankers still think 'blockchain' is a new Equinox class.

The cynical kicker

Of course, this assumes the SEC doesn't suddenly remember it hates crypto again. Place your bets—the house always wins.

TLDR

• Steven McClurg expects XRP ETFs to attract $5 billion in inflows during their first month.
• McClurg believes XRP ETFs could outperform Ethereum ETFs due to the absence of staking rewards in XRP.
• XRP dominates the payments category and faces fewer direct rivals than Ethereum.
• The strong XRP community could drive rapid adoption and demand for the ETF.
• A market cap multiplier of 272x could push XRP’s market cap up by $1.36 trillion.

A forecast from Canary Capital’s CEO suggests that the xrp price could surge if XRP ETFs gain $5 billion in inflows during their first month. Steven McClurg, whose firm is seeking approval to launch the product, believes several market factors could fuel such growth. He explained the reasons in a recent podcast discussion with host Paul Barron.

XRP ETF Advantages Over Ethereum ETFs

McClurg stated that ethereum holders can stake their ETH directly to earn 2% to 3% returns. Therefore, many prefer direct holding over an ETF without staking benefits. He stressed that XRP has no staking, so ETF investors lose nothing compared to direct ownership.

Additionally, McClurg argued that Ethereum faces competition from other smart contract networks. XRP, however, dominates the payments category with fewer direct rivals in the market. This leadership position could make XRP ETFs more appealing to a wider investor base.

Why an XRP ETF destroys ETH ETFs👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/hZNCtRGVhN

— Digital Asset Investor (@digitalassetbuy) August 9, 2025

Furthermore, he said XRP’s strong community could fuel rapid adoption. “XRP has one of the most active communities in crypto,” McClurg noted during the podcast. This loyal base could significantly boost demand for an XRP ETF.

XRP Price Could Reach $26 Soon

Market analyst Dom earlier reported that $61 million in buying pressure increased XRP’s market cap by $16.6 billion. This figure represents a 272x market cap multiplier, which McClurg applied to the $5 billion ETF inflow estimate. Based on this, XRP’s market cap could rise by about $1.36 trillion.

Ever wondered how much money it takes to cause a 16.6B increase in $XRP market cap?

Since I am tracking every trade on all major spot exchanges, I have the exact $ figure

61M USD. Thats the net market buying pressure we saw over the last 13 hours.

So yes, 61M USD of buy… pic.twitter.com/XDt6FMB0g9

— Dom (@traderview2) May 12, 2025

Currently, XRP trades at $3.15 with a $186.5 billion market cap and 59.3 billion tokens in circulation. Using McClurg’s projection, the market cap would reach approximately $1.546 trillion. At that level, the XRP price could trade near $26 per token.

This scenario assumes the same market multiplier effect continues in a similar pattern. McClurg maintained that such an increase is achievable if demand aligns with projections. He highlighted that institutional interest could accelerate this process.

Google’s Gemini platform evaluated more conservative projections for the XRP ETF impact. It applied market multipliers of 10x and 15x to the same $5 billion inflow scenario. Under this model, the XRP market cap WOULD rise to between $236.5 billion and $261.5 billion.

These estimates would place the XRP price between $3.99 and $4.41 per token. Gemini’s view still acknowledged the potential for significant price movement after ETF approval. However, it suggested smaller gains than McClurg’s model indicates.