'How Foundational Can It Be?' VanEck Says 'Nah' To XRP Despite High ETF Demand

Core Insights - Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, questions the foundational value of XRP, especially in light of BlackRock and VanEck's hesitance to launch XRP-related products [1][4] - Franklin Templeton has launched an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF), claiming XRP plays a foundational role in global settlement infrastructure, contrasting with BlackRock's lack of plans for an XRP ETF [2][3] - Despite the success of Canary Capital's XRP ETF, which recorded a day-one trading volume of $58 million and $250 million in inflows, BlackRock and VanEck remain uninterested in XRP offerings [5] Company Perspectives - BlackRock has no current plans to file for an XRP or Solana ETF, indicating a cautious stance towards XRP compared to its involvement with Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs [3] - VanEck has launched a Solana ETF but has chosen not to pursue an XRP offering, reflecting a similar skepticism as BlackRock [3] Market Context - XRP is the third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, often associated with cross-border transactions through its connection to Ripple, which utilizes XRP for its on-demand liquidity product [6] - Ripple's significant holdings of XRP, approximately 34.76 billion (nearly 35% of total supply), raise concerns among some in the cryptocurrency community regarding the asset's value proposition [7]