Why Ripple (XRP) is Overlooked in 2025 and What Cheaper Alternatives Are Capturing Real Institutional Momentum

The XRP Paradox: Regulatory Clarity vs. Institutional Hesitation

Ripple's (XRP) legal battle with the SEC concluded in August 2025 with a landmark settlement, resolving a five-year regulatory uncertainty, according to an ABC Money report. The court ruled that XRP is not a security in secondary market transactions, enabling exchanges and investors to operate without fear of enforcement, according to a FinanceFeeds analysis. This clarity catalyzed the launch of six XRP ETFs, including the ProShares Ultra XRP ETF in July 2025, and spurred institutional inflows of $210 million in September 2025, according to TronWeekly. Yet, despite these tailwinds, XRP remains overlooked by many institutional investors.

The root cause lies in the bifurcated regulatory framework established by the settlement. While XRP is deemed a commodity in public markets, it is still classified as a security in direct institutional sales, according to an Analytics Insight roundup. This duality creates operational complexity for asset managers, who must navigate conflicting compliance requirements. For instance, the FinanceFeeds analysis notes that the injunction against unregistered institutional XRP sales forces firms to rely on secondary market liquidity, limiting their ability to deploy the token in structured products or private funds. Meanwhile, competitors like Sui (SUI) and Ethena (ENA) benefit from clearer regulatory pathways, particularly in stablecoin and DeFi innovation.

Cheaper Alternatives: Institutional Momentum in Emerging Infrastructure Tokens

Institutional capital is increasingly flowing to blockchain infrastructure tokens that combine regulatory alignment, scalable use cases, and lower entry costs. Three standouts in 2025 are Qubetics (TICS), Sui (SUI), and Ethena (ENA), each leveraging distinct advantages to capture market share.

1. Qubetics (TICS): Cross-Border Payments and Regulatory Resilience

Qubetics' $TICS token is emerging as a cost-effective solution for cross-border payments, with a price of $0.0756 in August 2025, as reported by Analytics Insight. Its appeal lies in its ability to bypass legacy banking systems, offering real-time settlements at a fraction of traditional costs. Institutional adoption is accelerating, particularly in emerging markets where Ripple's XRP faces competition from localized blockchain solutions. For example, TICS-powered platforms are being integrated into remittance corridors in Southeast Asia, where regulatory sandboxes provide favorable conditions for experimentation, according to Analytics Insight.

2. Sui (SUI): DeFi Scalability and ETF-Driven Liquidity

Sui's (SUI) price of $3.50 in October 2025 reflects its dominance in decentralized finance (DeFi), with total value locked (TVL) surging to $2.6 billion, per ABC Money. The network's high-speed transactions and low fees have attracted protocols like Cetus and Suilend, which now account for 70% of DEX volume on the chain, according to ABC Money. Institutional interest is further fueled by the 21Shares SUI ETF filing and Coinbase's October 2025 launch of SUI futures, which added $320 million in liquidity, according to TronWeekly. Analysts project SUI could reach $7.01 by year-end if ETF approvals materialize, according to TronWeekly, making it a compelling alternative to XRP's $2.84 price point.

3. Ethena (ENA): Stablecoin Innovation and TradFi Integration

Ethena's (ENA) synthetic stablecoin, USDe, has become a cornerstone of institutional capital efficiency. Priced between $0.386 and $0.556 in October 2025, Ethena benefits from the Genius Act's 1:1 USD reserve requirements, which bolster trust in its collateralized assets. USDe's integration into Aave v3 and Morpho Blue has unlocked $1.76 billion in TVL, while partnerships with Coinbase Prime and Anchorage Digital provide direct access to institutional portfolios, according to a DailyCoin report. Ethena's roadmap-featuring a Telegram-based mobile banking platform and its Converge blockchain-positions it to bridge DeFi, CeFi, and TradFi ecosystems, as DailyCoin reported.

The XRP Conundrum: ETF Optimism vs. Structural Challenges

While XRP's regulatory resolution has removed a major overhang, its structural limitations persist. The token's $160 billion market cap-ranked third among cryptocurrencies-means even ETF inflows may not drive exponential gains, according to CoinCentral. For example, the ProShares Ultra XRP ETF's $50 million AUM pales in comparison to Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, which have attracted $12 billion in combined inflows, per CoinCentral. Additionally, XRP's escrow releases in 2025 have diluted supply constraints, pressuring its price despite bullish technical indicators, as CoinCentral noted.

In contrast, tokens like SUI and ENA offer higher yield potential and narrower regulatory gray areas. SUI's DeFi TVL growth and ENA's stablecoin-driven capital efficiency align with institutional demands for both returns and compliance. As one asset manager noted, "XRP is a foundational asset, but tokens like SUI and ENA are solving real-world problems that ETFs alone can't address," a point highlighted by TronWeekly.

Conclusion: Navigating the 2025 Institutional Landscape

Ripple's (XRP) 2025 settlement with the SEC was a watershed moment for crypto regulation, yet its institutional adoption remains constrained by a fragmented legal framework. Meanwhile, cheaper alternatives like Qubetics (TICS), Sui (SUI), and Ethena (ENA) are capturing momentum through targeted use cases and regulatory clarity. For investors, the key takeaway is to balance XRP's macro-level significance with the disruptive potential of emerging infrastructure tokens. As the Genius Act and ETF approvals reshape the landscape, the next wave of institutional capital will likely favor projects that combine scalability, compliance, and price accessibility.