XRP Outperforms Bitcoin as ETFs and Treasury Support Arrive

XRP has consistently exceeded market expectations, and recent data shows the token has significantly outpaced Bitcoin over the past year—despite lacking ETFs and major treasury backing. Now, with both entering the picture, analysts are buzzing about XRP’s potential new trajectory.

Crypto strategist and financial commentator Good Alexander brought attention to XRP’s remarkable rise. In a recent post, he highlighted that the token achieved impressive gains even without the typical catalysts like ETF listings or institutional reserves. With these elements now on the horizon, the possibilities for XRP’s future growth appear even more compelling.

A look at July 2024 market data supports Alexander’s claims. At that time, XRP was trading at approximately $0.4753, while Bitcoin sat at $62,676. This gave an XRP/BTC exchange ratio of around 0.000007583. Fast forward one year and Bitcoin’s price surged to $118,114, netting an 88% gain. Yet XRP dramatically outstripped that performance, rocketing to $3.02—a staggering 535% increase.

This surge pushed the XRP/BTC ratio to 0.00002556, marking a 237% increase in XRP’s value against Bitcoin. In essence, XRP didn’t just thrive in USD terms, it advanced faster than Bitcoin despite lacking key institutional pillars traditionally linked with major assets, such as ETFs or holdings in corporate balance sheets.

Alexander pointed to this anomaly, noting that XRP’s growth came without exposure to major U.S. ETF markets or corporate treasury allocations. Moreover, XRP investors lacked avenues for yield generation through native staking. Yet momentum is changing swiftly, with several developments bringing XRP closer to the institutional spotlight.

ETF interest in XRP is now accelerating. ProShares is set to debut its Ultra XRP ETF on NYSE Arca on July 18, offering 2x leveraged exposure to XRP futures. Meanwhile, Grayscale is advocating for its digital large-cap fund—which includes XRP—to convert to an exchange-traded product. While U.S. regulators have not yet approved a spot XRP ETF, several investment giants like WisdomTree and Franklin Templeton have applications pending review.

The ETF narrative is also playing out north of the border, where Canadian markets list spot XRP ETFs on the Toronto Stock Exchange. These funds are already witnessing increased investment from institutions who view XRP as a promising asset class.

Simultaneously, corporate treasury participation is gaining steam. Blockchain-focused firms have started to earmark substantial XRP allocations. One major move came from Everything Blockchain, which pledged $10 million to a diversified treasury reserve that includes XRP. Other big players are following suit: Trident announced a $500 million XRP treasury plan, while Webus International filed to assemble a $300 million XRP reserve. Names like VivoPower, Wellgistics Health, and Ault Capital have also stepped forward with similar intentions.

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem is also seeing promising upgrades. Although native staking is still in progress, new DeFi tools are emerging. For example, Flare Network, in collaboration with platforms like Uphold, is rolling out innovative yield-generating pathways. These services will allow users to wrap XRP for staking and earn passive rewards.

In another leap forward, XRPL introduced an Ethereum-compatible sidechain in late June 2025. Since its debut, over 1,300 smart contracts have been launched. This new infrastructure bridges XRP to Ethereum’s expansive dApp universe, greatly boosting its versatility and developer appeal.

Ripple has also joined the stablecoin arena, introducing RLUSD in December. This U.S. dollar-pegged token was developed for institutional use and has already surpassed a $517 million market cap. In a significant move, Ripple announced that BNY Mellon, the oldest bank in America, will serve as the custodian of RLUSD’s reserves—signaling increasing financial credibility.

Related: XRP Price: $12M Max Pain for Bears

Altogether, XRP is transitioning from an underdog with minimal institutional exposure to a maturing digital asset with robust corporate backing, ETF momentum, and cutting-edge ecosystem tools. As these elements converge, many experts believe XRP is poised for another wave of market leadership.