XRP futures open interest climbed 23% in May 2025, while spot XRP exchange-traded funds recorded their largest single-day inflow since early January — roughly $26 million on Monday. The fresh money pushed cumulative net inflows into spot XRP ETFs to a new all-time high of $1.35 billion, with total assets under management sitting at $1.18 billion. Broader XRP exchange-traded products brought in nearly $40 million during the week ending May 8, lifting year-to-date net inflows to $191 million and total AUM past $2.5 billion.
Regulatory tailwinds behind the surge
CoinShares head of research James Butterfill attributed the recent acceleration in inflows to two policy developments: the US CLARITY Act and a compromise proposal on stablecoin yields released on May 1. Butterfill described the capital movement as a “notable acceleration,” linking the momentum directly to those regulatory signals. The CLARITY Act, still working its way through Congress, aims to provide a clearer legal framework for digital assets, while the stablecoin proposal addresses a long-standing point of contention between issuers and regulators. Investors appear to be betting that clearer rules will unlock institutional demand for XRP.
Spot market shows renewed buying pressure
XRP’s 90-day spot taker cumulative volume delta turned positive, a sign that buyers are dominating the spot market. Social media sentiment around the token hit a two-year high, and the price rose 2.3% over the past week. Still, the token was trading at $1.46 late Tuesday, down about 1% in the last 24 hours and roughly 6% below a recent high of $1.50. Spot XRP ETFs recorded five consecutive days of net inflows, reinforcing the sense that institutional interest is steady rather than speculative.
Technical setup points higher
Analysts noted that XRP bounced off a multi-month ascending support line, a pattern that often precedes a breakout. A weekly MACD golden cross — when the short-term moving average crosses above the long-term average — was cited as reinforcing a bullish outlook. One aggressive forecast projects XRP reaching $10, drawing a parallel to its Q4 2024 rally after the token broke out of a $1–$1.30 accumulation range. A more measured call sees a potential move toward $1.80 in the near term.
Price lags while fundamentals strengthen
The contrast between rising futures open interest, steady ETF inflows, and a price that has barely budged from $1.50 leaves a question hanging over the market: is accumulation still underway, or has the rally already peaked? With regulatory catalysts still in play and a golden cross on the weekly chart, the next few weeks could determine whether XRP finally pushes through resistance or stalls again. For now, traders are watching the $1.50 level and the May 2025 CLARITY Act hearings for the next signal.
