XRP exchange-traded funds have pulled in $1.39 billion since their November 2025 launch, edging out Solana ETFs, which gathered $1.12 billion over the same stretch. The gap widened in April 2026, when XRP ETFs saw $81.6 million in net inflows — more than double Solana's $38.69 million. But May numbers tell a slightly different story, with Solana rebounding to $99 million over 19 trading days, just ahead of XRP's $95 million.
Why XRP ETFs Are Outpacing Solana
Market analyst Sam Daodu points to the CLARITY Act as the main reason XRP has attracted steadier institutional money. The legislation would spell out rules for how banks and funds can treat XRP — covering custody, collateral, and balance sheet exposure. That kind of regulatory certainty, Daodu argues, opens doors that raw technical upgrades don't. JPMorgan has projected that if the CLARITY Act becomes law, XRP ETFs could see another $4 billion to $8 billion in inflows.
Solana's biggest selling point is the Alpenglow network upgrade, which aims to cut transaction finality below 150 milliseconds. Speed matters, but Daodu says throughput improvements alone don't unlock the same category of institutional capital as a clear legal framework.
Solana's Early Momentum Fades
Solana ETFs launched in October 2025 and quickly built momentum. Monthly inflows hit $419 million in November 2025. By April 2026, that figure had dropped to $38.69 million — a 91% decline. XRP ETFs, meanwhile, kept up a steadier pace. They recorded a 13-day streak of positive flows in early December 2025, pulling in $618.59 million, and later notched a 14-day inflow streak that carried into April.
The May reversal — Solana's $99 million vs. XRP's $95 million — suggests some traders are rotating back into SOL. But the four-month trend still favors XRP, which has accumulated roughly $124 million in year-to-date inflows through April, compared to Solana's declining monthly totals.
Price Action Lags Inflows
Despite the stronger ETF flows, both tokens have lost ground this week. XRP traded at $1.37, down 3.8% in the past seven days. SOL fell harder, dropping 6% to $86. The divergence between fund inflows and spot prices hints at broader market headwinds or profit-taking, but the ETF data suggests institutional appetite for both assets remains — especially for XRP, should the CLARITY Act move forward.
The bill's fate is still uncertain. Until lawmakers decide, the gap in inflows may widen or narrow depending on which catalyst — regulatory clarity or raw speed — wins over the next wave of institutional investors.
