XRP News Today: XRP Futures Trading Boosts Liquidity, Institutional Interest

An XRP community member has outlined five potential catalysts that could drive a sustained price uptrend for XRP. Despite a recent price increase that saw XRP reach $2.42 before dropping to $2.36, investor confidence remains low. While assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) have surpassed previous resistance levels, XRP has struggled to break through significant resistance, trading at the lower end of the $2 mark.

A pseudonymous XRP advocate, known as Butterfly, has identified five key catalysts that could fuel a more pronounced XRP bull run. However, not all of these steps align with current market realities. The first catalyst mentioned is the potential for BlackRock to announce a spot XRP ETF. This idea has gained attention due to BlackRock’s success with its Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, which have collectively attracted tens of billions of dollars since early 2024. However, BlackRock has not yet filed for an XRP ETF, and senior executives have indicated that the firm’s focus remains on expanding its existing Bitcoin and Ethereum offerings. BlackRock recently met with the SEC to discuss ETF approval standards, sparking new speculation, but there is no concrete evidence that XRP was part of the discussion. Industry experts like Nate Geraci, the President of the ETF Store, believe BlackRock will likely file for XRP and Solana ETFs soon, which could draw in massive capital to the XRP market and catalyze price growth.

The second catalyst involves the rollout of XRP futures trading. Coinbase has already launched XRP futures as of April 2025, and the CME Group is set to follow with its offerings later in May. This move is expected to increase liquidity and attract broader institutional interest. Experts agree that futures trading can help stabilize prices and draw in more sophisticated investors, making this one of the more credible and impactful developments on the list.

Butterfly’s third point suggests that U.S. Treasury interest rate cuts will support XRP’s rise. However, this point misattributes the authority for rate decisions, which lies with the Federal Reserve rather than the Treasury. While there is a growing belief that the Fed may lower rates later this year, possibly in July, there is no immediate action yet. If rate cuts do materialize, they would generally benefit risk assets like cryptocurrencies by reducing the appeal of traditional interest-bearing investments.

Another claim is that multiple spot XRP ETFs are pending approval. In reality, nine firms, including major players like Grayscale, ProShares, and WisdomTree, have filed applications with the SEC. However, none have yet been approved, and timelines remain uncertain. The SEC recently extended its review of one such application by Franklin Templeton, pushing any decision further into the year. Optimism has increased with the appointment of a more crypto-friendly SEC chair, but approval remains speculative. Analysts suggest that while the odds are in favor, the final decision could stretch into late 2025.

Finally, Butterfly mentions an “ISO conversion” scheduled for November. This point is invalid. Specifically, ISO 20022 is a global messaging standard for financial institutions, and while Ripple’s systems are compliant, there is no known “conversion event” involving XRP.