XRP-linked exchange-traded funds have quietly crossed an important milestone. By December 17, these ETFs held more than $60 million in assets, even as the price of XRP itself continued to move lower.
At the time of reporting, XRP was trading down, extending a price slide that has lasted for several months. This gap between growing ETF assets and a falling token price has caught the attention of traders and analysts.
One possible reason for this disconnect has to do with how ETFs actually work. Analyst Chad Steingraber explained on X that ETF shares trade during normal market hours, but the real buying of XRP by fund managers usually happens after the market closes. Net inflows are calculated at the end of the day, and any purchases of the underlying XRP come later. Because of this delay, ETF inflows don’t always push the price up right away.
There’s also the way institutional money moves. Large investors don’t rush in all at once. They go through long approval processes, risk checks, and staged investments that can take weeks or even months. So rising ETF assets may reflect slow, planned allocations rather than sudden buying pressure.
From a technical point of view, XRP is still under pressure. The token has been in a clear downtrend since mid-year, and recent price action has tested key support levels. Analysts warn that if these levels break, XRP could drift toward lower price ranges in the short term.
That said, not all signs are negative. Data from the XRP Ledger shows that the number of non-empty wallets has been growing in recent weeks. This suggests that some holders are using the price dip to accumulate XRP quietly.
Compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, XRP ETF assets are still relatively small. Fund managers may also be using hedging or staggered buying strategies, which can reduce any immediate impact on the spot market.
For now, the message is mixed. ETF assets are rising, pointing to growing institutional interest, while XRP’s price remains under pressure. Traders are watching closely to see whether ETF buying starts to show up more clearly in spot demand—and whether XRP can hold its current support in the days ahead.
