- Volatility Shares has launched the first-ever 1x XRP futures ETF, XRPI, on the Nasdaq today, with Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas predicting strong investor demand.
- The launch comes amid rising institutional interest in XRP and growing anticipation for SEC approval of spot XRP ETFs.
Votality Shares, a prominent investment firm is about to leave an indelible mark on history as it it prepares to launch the first-ever XRP futures Exchange-Traded Fund. This historic launch will see the historic debut of XRPI, a 1x XRP futures ETF, which will trade on the Nasdaq exchange today, May 22, 2025.
According to an amended filing submitted by Volatility Shares, the XRPI ETF will come with a management fee of 1.15% per annum. The fund has also capped operational fees at the same percentage. However, to attract early investors, Volatility Shares is offering a 0.21% fee waiver, bringing the total operational fee down to 0.94% through May 22, 2026.
The XRPI ETF will focus on cash-settled XRP futures contracts, meaning settlements will be made in cash based on XRP’s price at contract expiration. To maintain continuous exposure to XRP, the fund will actively roll over expiring futures into new ones.
In terms of asset allocation, at least 80% of the fund’s holdings will be tied to XRP-related assets. This includes XRP-referenced swaps, futures, and potentially spot-based XRP ETFs—if and when they receive regulatory approval.
Introducing a Groundbreaking XRP ETF
Eric Balchunas, a renowned Bloomberg ETF analsyt has expressed great confidence in the highly anticipated product. He was sure to highlight the product’s potential, in this case, forecasting substantial demand once the product has been launched.
As we have reported, the crypto community has witnessed the introduction of recently launched 2x leveraged XRP futures ETFs hit the market. Now, XRPI marks the first 1x XRP futures ETF, providing a more conservative, one-to-one exposure to XRP’s price movements.
It goes without saying that Teucrium’s 2X Long XRP ETF saw impressive volume on its first day, outperforming similar Solana products.
In addition to XRPI, Volatility Shares is also set to launch a 2x leveraged XRP ETF on Nasdaq. However, it is the 1x version that has caught the attention of analysts due to its accessibility for more risk-averse investors.
Anticipated Demand Backed by Market Performance
Balchunas drew attention to the successful debut of Teucrium’s 2x Long Daily XRP ETF (XXRP), which launched on April 9. XXRP began with a modest $5 million in trading volume on day one but has since seen daily volumes surge to $35 million, with $120 million in assets under management (AUM).
Given this precedent, Balchunas predicts strong demand for XRPI, citing the growing appetite for XRP-linked investment products among both institutional and retail investors.
Institutional Interest and Regulatory Outlook
Institutional interest in XRP has been on the rise, with multiple firms submitting applications for XRP-related products. While futures-based XRP ETFs have received the SEC’s green light, the spot version remains pending.
Currently, as we have reported, more than 10 spot XRP ETF applications are awaiting SEC approval, including proposals from Grayscale and 21Shares, both of which recently faced delays. Despite this, optimism remains high within the crypto community for potential approvals later this year.
