XRP ETFs Set Record at $60M — So Where’s XRP’s Price Pump?

XRP-linked exchange-traded funds crossed $60 million in assets under management on December 17. The milestone comes even as XRP’s spot price continues to weaken, puzzling investors who expected ETF inflows to support prices. XRP was trading around $1.79, down more than 4% on the day, at the time of writing.

Institutional Buying Follows Lengthy Approval Cycles

One expert said that the ETF growth shows longer-term institutional processes, rather than short-term speculative demand.

Institutional investors typically conduct extensive due diligence before allocating capital, including reviews of market behaviour, risk metrics and historical performance. Final approvals to buy and hold assets can take months or, in some cases, years, particularly among conservative funds.

While the pace of crypto adoption has accelerated, institutional decision-making remains methodical. 

ETF Structure Delays Impact on Spot Prices

Expert Chad Steingraber said investor confusion largely stems from how ETFs operate.

“ETFs are not trading XRP directly,” he said, explaining that funds trade ETF shares, similar to equities, during market hours. Fund managers then calculate net inflows after the trading session ends and purchase XRP later to back the fund.

This structure can delay buying activity in the underlying asset, meaning ETF inflows do not immediately translate into higher spot prices, contributing to the current disconnect between ETF growth and market performance.

XRP Remains Under Technical Pressure

Technical analysts say XRP continues to show signs of weakness on higher time frames. The token has been trending lower for several months, with warnings of a broader pullback since mid-year.

While short-term rebounds remain possible, they have so far failed to alter the broader bearish structure.

Support at $1.80 Under Scrutiny

XRP is testing a long-standing support zone between $1.80 and $1.90, which has held multiple times over the past year.

A sustained move below $1.80 would weaken the technical outlook, analysts said. Below that level, attention shifts to $1.60, followed by a broader support range between $1.30 and $1.40 if selling pressure intensifies.