XRP News Today: Ripple's 2025 IPO Valuation Hits $20 Billion, XRP ETF Approval Likely

Ripple, the blockchain-based payment protocol, is in the spotlight as it prepares for a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2025. The company's pre-IPO shares are currently trading over-the-counter at around a $20 billion valuation, with some speculating that the stock could increase tenfold post-IPO. However, analysts caution that this may not directly translate to a boost in the price of XRP, Ripple's native token. The reason is that large investors might prefer to buy Ripple's stock rather than the XRP token, given the potential for significant returns on the stock market.

Ripple's strategic moves, such as applying for a national bank license in the U.S., align with regulatory trends and support its stablecoin, RLUSD. This license would position Ripple on par with other major financial institutions and make RLUSD more attractive to institutional investors. Additionally, new regulations like the Genius Act may require stablecoin issuers to hold real dollars or U.S. Treasuries, further bolstering Ripple's strategy.

In addition to the IPO, there is significant momentum building for the approval of a spot XRP ETF. According to analysts, there is a 95% chance that spot XRP, Litecoin, and Solana ETFs will be approved by October 2025. This approval would solidify XRP's status as a top-tier digital asset and could drive further market momentum. The launch of XRP futures ETFs on major exchanges like the CME and NYSE has already set the stage for this development.

Despite rumors of a partnership between Ripple and Swift, these claims have been debunked. While Swift is exploring technology that XRP supports, such as ISO 20022, it is also working with other blockchains like Stellar and Algorand. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has confirmed that the two companies remain competitors, despite any technological overlap.

Ripple's escrow releases, which involve unlocking 1 billion XRP monthly and re-locking 70–80% of it, have been a topic of discussion. Some have claimed that these releases are a form of "dumping," but on-chain data shows consistency in Ripple's activities. However, Ripple plans to stop releasing quarterly XRP reports due to SEC pressure, which adds some uncertainty to the market. Nevertheless, these activities remain fully transparent on-chain.

Looking ahead, the futures market for XRP is showing signs of strength, with Open Interest (OI) surpassing $10 billion, marking a new all-time high. This surge in OI, coupled with XRP's approach to the $3.48 level, suggests potential further upside in the token's momentum. Historically, such spikes in OI have often preceded strong price rallies, indicating a positive outlook for XRP.