The investment world is buzzing with speculation regarding BlackRock's potential entry into the spot XRP Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) market. This heightened anticipation follows a pivotal regulatory development that many believe has cleared the path for such a move.
A Pivotal Regulatory Shift Ignites ETF Hopes
The recent decision by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ripple Labs to end their appeals is being hailed as a major catalyst for a BlackRock spot XRP ETF filing. Nate Geraci of ETF Institute strongly projects that BlackRock was awaiting this very clarity before potentially launching an iShares XRP ETF. Geraci contends it would be illogical for the financial giant not to expand its crypto ETF offerings beyond Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), asserting that limiting focus implies only these two assets hold value. This regulatory breakthrough has also seen the approval odds for a spot XRP ETF surge to nearly 80% on prediction markets, reflecting growing confidence.
Diverging Views and the Path Forward
Despite the optimism, BlackRock has not yet filed for XRP or Solana (SOL) ETFs, making it the sole potential issuer with existing BTC and ETH ETF offerings yet to do so. Samara Cohen, BlackRock's CIO, had previously indicated that institutional interest was primarily concentrated on BTC and ETH, suggesting no immediate plans for other crypto ETFs last year. Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas offers a contrasting view, suggesting BlackRock might adhere solely to the top two crypto assets due to potentially 'diminished returns' beyond Ethereum. However, Geraci remains optimistic, foreseeing BlackRock filing for both SOL and XRP ETFs before upcoming approval deadlines. The market reacted positively to the appeal dismissal, with XRP experiencing an 11% price upswing, underscoring the perceived positive impact of regulatory clarity. While the future remains unconfirmed, the latest regulatory developments undeniably bolster the case for BlackRock’s potential venture into the spot XRP ETF space.
