Standard Chartered: XRP ETF next

Analysts are projecting spot Solana and Ripple ETFs in 2025 following the approval of Ethereum ETFs.

First, a spot Bitcoin ETF. Then, a spot Ethereum ETF. What is next? 

Some analysts have forecasted Solana as the next project due for an ETF, but Standard Chartered’s Geoffrey Kendrick echoed that a Ripple (XRP) ETF could also come in 2025. 

“For other coins (eg. SOL, XRP), markets will look ahead to their eventual ETF status as well, albeit this is likely a 2025 story not a 2024 one,” said Kendrick.

After the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) confirmed the approval of Spot Ethereum ETFs, momentum for other crypto ETFs has been building.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse hinted at this possibility through a social media post celebrating the SEC’s approval, calling it a “momentous” occasion for the industry. 

In February, when asked about the possibility of an ETF, Garlinghouse replied, ”We would certainly welcome it, and I think it’s inevitable that there’ll be multiple ETFs around different tokens.”

A spot crypto ETF tracks the price of a specific crypto and invests portfolio funds into that crypto. These funds are traded on public exchanges but generally track a particular crypto. Like similar funds, crypto ETFs are on regular stock exchanges, and investors can keep them in their standard brokerage accounts.

In other words, crypto ETFs allow retail traders to gain direct exposure to crypto prices without directly owning the assets.

XRP’s path to a spot ETF

The ongoing lawsuit between Ripple and the SEC, in which the SEC accuses Ripple of selling unregistered securities, represents a significant hurdle to a spot ETF. The outcome of this litigation will be crucial in determining not only Ripple’s future but also the viability of an XRP ETF. 

The legal uncertainty around Ripple has held the price of XRP back. Currently, it’s priced at $0.53, below its 2024 opening price of $0.62. 

A lawsuit resolution is expected this summer, and if favorable, XRP should see a price spike.

Positive sentiment

This spot ETF sentiment comes at a positive time for the crypto industry, both from a political and pricing perspective. On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21), essentially communicating with the crypto industry that the US is welcome to crypto. 

Additionally, crypto exchange Coinbase resumed XRP trading in the state of New York, following a suspension in 2021 due to the lawsuit, echoing a positive sentiment towards the project.