XRP Whale Count Hits Record as Canada’s First Spot ETF Goes Live

Whale wallets holding over 1 million XRP have hit a record high, signaling surging investor confidence in the cryptocurrency’s future price trajectory.

XRP Whale Count Hits Record as Canada’s First Spot ETF Goes Live. Source: Shutterstock
Source: Shutterstock

Leading market insights provider Santiment stated, “There are now over 2,700 whale & shark wallets holding at least 1M XRP for the first time in the asset's 12 plus year history.”

Source: Santiment
Source: Santiment

Positive Institutional and Corporate XRP Sentiment

Whales are piling into XRP, holding more tokens than ever before, thanks to institutional integrations, growing XRP Ledger usage, regulatory optimism and technical positioning.

Given that there is high speculation that a spot XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) will get the green light, this development has also increased whale accumulation.

According to Polymarket data, the chances of a spot XRP being rolled out before the close of 2025 has jumped to 90%.

Therefore, growing optimism around an XRP ETF and potential U.S. regulatory clarity, such as Ripple's SEC lawsuit developments, are encouraging whale and corporate accumulation. 

For instance, Dubai’s financial watchdog recently permitted XRP’s operations within the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC). 

According to Santiment data, the XRP Ledger (XRPL) is witnessing heightened growth due to the network’s low fees.

Notably, XRPL has the potential of becoming the cornerstone of tokenized real-world assets (RWA).

This is because XRPL is poised to offer users a cost-effective and efficient solution for buying, selling, storing, and transferring real-world assets without dependence on traditional fiat currencies.

Therefore, these developments are enhancing XRP whale activity as the number of active addresses reached 1.12 million in the past week.

Canada’s First-Ever XRP ETF Rolls Out

Purpose Investments has set the ball rolling for Canada’s first spot XRP ETF after recently securing regulatory approval, offering investors direct exposure to the world’s fourth-largest cryptocurrency through traditional brokerage accounts.

Vlad Tasevski, the chief innovation officer at Purpose Investments, acknowledged, “We’re proud to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the space by offering investors simple, secure access to the infrastructure powering real-world blockchain adoption.”

Why a Spot XRP ETF Is Being Waited With Bated Breath on American Soil

The cryptocurrency community is eagerly anticipating the potential approval of a spot XRP ETF in the U.S., a development that could mark a major turning point for the digital asset and the broader crypto market. 

Unlike futures-based ETFs that derive value from contracts, a spot ETF directly tracks the price of XRP, offering investors a simpler, more transparent way to gain exposure to the asset without the complexities of managing private wallets or exchanges.

One of the main reasons excitement is building is regulatory clarity. After Ripple’s partial legal victory against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2023, which ruled that XRP is not a security when traded on secondary markets, the path for institutional acceptance has become less murky. 

This pivotal legal precedent sets XRP apart from many other altcoins still entangled in regulatory uncertainty—making it a more attractive candidate for ETF consideration.

The infrastructure and demand are also in place. XRP boasts one of the most active and scalable blockchains in the crypto ecosystem, with lightning-fast settlement times and low transaction fees.

Institutional players have increasingly shown interest in XRP for cross-border payments, and the addition of a spot ETF could act as a catalyst for mainstream adoption. It would allow asset managers, retirement funds, and everyday investors to gain regulated exposure through traditional brokerage accounts—greatly expanding XRP’s market reach.

Furthermore, recent precedent adds momentum. With the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in early 2024 and growing interest in Ethereum ETFs, investors now see a clearer roadmap for XRP to follow suit. 

The launch of a spot XRP ETF could inject fresh capital into the ecosystem, increase price stability through higher liquidity, and reinforce investor confidence at a time when the crypto market is maturing.

Lastly, the community’s sentiment is electric. XRP holders have long considered their token undervalued relative to its utility and global partnerships. 

A spot ETF would not only validate the asset’s legitimacy but also unlock a new era of growth and visibility for Ripple’s technology and ecosystem.

Conclusion

The wait for a spot XRP ETF in the U.S. reflects more than just market speculation, it signals a broader desire for legitimacy, accessibility, and institutional-grade crypto exposure with Canada already setting the ball rolling. 

With XRP’s whale count going through the roof, the roll out of an XRP ETF on American soil will ignite the altcoin’s fire when it comes to scaling heights.