XRP ETF Nearing Reality, According to Ripple President, With RLUSD Gaining Ground.

Ripple President Monica Long has expressed confidence that an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) could be on the horizon, especially with the new U.S. administration fostering a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment. In an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, Long noted that favorable conditions are setting the stage for the approval of crypto ETFs, including XRP.

“We believe it’s only a matter of time before we see an XRP ETF,” Long said. “This year, we expect more crypto spot ETFs to launch in the U.S., and XRP will likely be among the next to follow bitcoin and ether.”

She emphasized that with the change in administration, the approval process for such filings could gain momentum, increasing the likelihood of an XRP ETF sooner rather than later.

In addition to the ETF developments, Long discussed Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, which she expects to soon expand to more exchanges. RLUSD, launched in December on both Ethereum and XRP Ledger, is positioned as a key player in Ripple’s strategy to grow its payments and financial services business. The stablecoin currently has a market cap of $72 million and has recently partnered with Chainlink to enhance its utility within decentralized finance (DeFi) applications.

Ripple’s optimism about XRP’s prospects also ties into the broader political context. Since November, many traders have speculated that a crypto-friendly Trump administration would benefit U.S.-based crypto companies, like Ripple Labs. This has been reflected in Ripple’s recent uptick in business, with the company reporting a surge in U.S. deals during the last six weeks of 2024 compared to the first half of the year.

Since Trump’s election win, XRP has surged more than 300%, outpacing the growth of other major cryptocurrencies, largely driven by the narrative of a more favorable regulatory environment for U.S.-based crypto firms.