XRP News Today: 3iQ CEO: Retail Investors Can't Match Institutional XRP Prices

In a surprising revelation, 3iQ CEO Pascal St-Jean stated that no retail investor could ever buy XRP at the price that institutional players like 3iQ are acquiring it globally. This statement came in the wake of 3iQ’s newly launched XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF), which has sparked significant interest and debate within the XRP community.

On June 18, 2025, 3iQ, a leading digital asset manager, launched its XRP ETF (trading under the tickers XRPQ and XRPQ.U) on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The fund offers direct exposure to XRP, with a six-month waiver on management fees and all assets held in institutional-grade cold storage. Ripple, the company behind XRP, has backed the ETF as an early supporter. Within just days, XRPQ made headlines by becoming the largest XRP ETF in Canada, surpassing C$32 million in assets under management. The ETF is seen as a significant milestone for regulated XRP investment products and is part of a broader movement in Canada toward institutional crypto adoption.

St-Jean’s comment about institutional pricing has sparked intense speculation. For those familiar with institutional trading, his point is straightforward: 3iQ acquires XRP through over-the-counter (OTC) channels and bulk purchase agreements that offer significantly better rates than what retail investors receive on centralized exchanges. These deals often involve tighter bid-ask spreads, no slippage, lower transaction costs, and access to large pools of liquidity. Institutions like 3iQ also benefit from specialized custody solutions and settlement terms that retail platforms cannot match. As a result, the cost basis for XRP acquired through these institutional channels is often substantially lower than what individual investors would encounter.

This pricing gap illustrates a larger truth about the digital asset space: institutional investors are increasingly playing by a different set of rules. With access to regulated vehicles, professional custody infrastructure, and preferential pricing, firms like 3iQ can maximize exposure while minimizing cost and risk. Retail investors, by contrast, are typically confined to public exchanges where spreads are wider, fees are higher, and execution is slower. St-Jean’s statement, while blunt, exposes a critical market reality: the tools available to institutional investors can significantly alter their return potential.

St-Jean’s comment arrives at a pivotal moment. Canada is rapidly emerging as a global leader in regulated crypto ETFs, while the U.S. remains locked in regulatory uncertainty. With products like XRPQ gaining traction, the institutionalization of XRP could accelerate, further widening the gap between retail and institutional market access. For retail investors, the message is clear: the playing field isn’t level. And as institutional interest in XRP continues to grow, the influence of behind-the-scenes pricing power will become an increasingly important factor in the asset’s broader market dynamics.