XRP News Today: Institutional ETFs Bolster XRP's Depth, But On-Chain Silence Persists

XRP's price trajectory in late 2025 reflects a mix of optimism and uncertainty as institutional adoption and regulatory clarity reshape the landscape. Following the launch of three major XRP ETFs in November—including Franklin Templeton's XRPZ and Grayscale's GXRP—the token surged 8.25% in a 24-hour period, signaling growing institutional confidence. However, technical indicators suggest lingering bearish pressure, with XRP trading at $2.21 as of Nov. 28, down 16.41% from its monthly high and below key moving averages.

This divergence between short-term enthusiasm and longer-term technical weakness underscores the challenges facing XRP as it navigates a transition from speculative trading to enterprise-driven utility.

A critical factor in XRP's near-term outlook is the performance of Ripple's stablecoin, RLUSD. The token's 30-day transaction volume has jumped 56% to $3.5 billion, and its circulating supply has grown 28% to $1.2 billion, positioning it as the third-largest GENIUS Act-compliant stablecoin. This growth is significant because RLUSD mitigates XRP's price volatility by providing a regulated, dollar-backed alternative for cross-border settlements. While RLUSD's adoption could eventually drive XRP demand for multi-currency bridging, its current role as a bridge asset means XRP's on-chain activity remains subdued.

Institutional ETF inflows have also provided a tailwind. XRP ETFs have accumulated $622 million in net assets, with Franklin Templeton's XRPZ and Grayscale's GXRP attracting steady investments post-launch. These funds account for just 0.50% of XRP's market cap, compared to 5.5% for Ethereum and 6.54% for Bitcoin, suggesting ample room for growth. Yet, ETF inflows have not translated into increased on-chain activity, as assets are typically held in cold storage rather than traded on public exchanges according to financial analysis. This dynamic highlights a structural challenge: institutional adoption is bolstering XRP's market depth but not its network utilization.

The disconnect between RippleNet's infrastructure expansion and XRP's transaction volume remains a key concern. Ripple's network now connects over 300 banks, but many institutions use its messaging and settlement tools without requiring XRP, treating it more like a traditional payment provider than a liquidity token. This has led to a situation where RippleNet's growth in banking partners has not yet translated into sustained XRP demand. For example, while Ripple reported trillions in On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) throughput, actual XRP usage remains limited to short-term bridging before converting to destination currencies according to transaction data.

Looking ahead, XRP's performance will hinge on whether RLUSD adoption accelerates in key corridors such as Japan and Southeast Asia, where high remittance costs and slow cross-border transfers create a compelling use case. If RLUSD gains traction in production-level settlements by mid-2026, XRP could see renewed demand as banks transition to multi-currency bridging. Conversely, delays in regulatory approvals or technical hurdles for RLUSD could prolong the current stalemate, capping XRP's price potential around $2.30–$3.30 through 2026.