XRP Futures ETF Becomes Fastest CME Contract to Hit $1 Billion Open Interest
XRP futures reached $1B open interest on CME in record time, sparking spot ETF speculation but raising questions over long-term adoption
XRP set a new benchmark on Wall Street’s largest crypto trading venue, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). Ripple’s powering token became the fastest CME contract in history to surpass $1 billion in open interest (OI).
The token crossed this milestone in just over three months since launching in May 2025.
Record Futures Growth Sparks Fresh Speculation Over Spot XRP ETF Approval
The CME Group confirmed the achievement in an update on August 26, describing it as a sign of increasing maturity in crypto derivatives markets.
“Our Crypto futures suite just surpassed $30 billion in notional open interest for the first time ever. Our SOL and XRP futures, along with ETH options, each crossed $1 billion in OI, with XRP being the fastest-ever contract to do so, hitting the mark in just over 3 months. This is a huge sign of market maturity, with new capital entering the market,” CME wrote.

The speed of XRP’s rise on CME has fueled a fresh round of speculation about the potential for a spot XRP ETF.
Nate Geraci, president of the ETF Store, noted that XRP already has over $800 million in futures-based ETFs. In his opinion, the demand for spot products is being underestimated.
“CME Group says XRP futures contracts have crossed over $1B in open interest… fastest-ever contract to do so. There’s already $800+ million in futures-based XRP ETFs. Think people might be underestimating demand for spot XRP ETFs,” he said.
Prediction markets appear to agree, currently assigning an 82% chance that a Ripple-backed ETF will be approved before the end of 2025.

The milestone comes against the backdrop of XRP’s paradoxical market position. With a market capitalization of around $178 billion, XRP is the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency.
On paper, it is bigger than asset management giant BlackRock, whose market capitalization was $176 billion as of this writing.
Yet, according to Nate Geraci, it remains among professionals’ most disparaged assets. Pro-XRP attorney John E. Deaton reinforced that view.
“XRP is the single most hated crypto by institutional and professional traders/holders. XRP is the most loved crypto by retail investors/holders,” wrote Deaton.
This tension between institutional skepticism and grassroots loyalty has defined XRP’s trajectory for a long time.
Retail holders have embraced it as a token with utility-driven potential, hence the “XRP has cult-like following” adage.
Meanwhile, institutions remain cautious due to Ripple’s recently concluded but longstanding legal battles with US regulators.
Futures Momentum Meets Skepticism Over XRP’s Long-Term Value
However, not everyone is convinced that XRP’s futures success will translate into long-term value.
Some critics argue that stablecoins, smart contracts, and oracle solutions like Chainlink have eclipsed the asset’s original function as a bridge currency.
They contend that bridge tokens face structural limitations, since every purchase for transaction purposes is matched by an immediate sale, producing neutral demand pressure.
What's the thesis?A) Bridge currencies like XRP don't accrue value from being used as bridge currencies because each buy comes with an equal sale shortly afterwards. Assets need more buyers than sellers to go up. Bridge currencies have equal buying and selling.B) Bridge…
— Fishy Catfish (@CatfishFishy) August 26, 2025
The XRP Ledger itself has also been criticized for limited adoption and functionality compared to more feature-rich networks.
While the momentum on CME speaks for itself, investors are impatient about the XRP price.
Still not enough to drive up the price. I’m getting frustrated
— Dean Nielson (@DeanNielson5) August 26, 2025
As of this writing, XRP was trading for $3.00, up by over 3% in the last 24 hours.

XRP’s surge to $1 billion in open interest suggests that capital flows into the asset at scale. This may be toward speculating, hedging, or gaining exposure to potential regulatory breakthroughs.
If regulators approve a spot ETF, it would mark a critical test of whether XRP’s loyal retail base. It could also reveal whether a growing futures market can translate into sustained institutional adoption.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
Cold Wallet, XRP, Ethena & Chainlink: Unlocking Undervalued Assets in a Post-Presale Era
- 2025 post-presale crypto era prioritizes security, regulation, and DeFi infrastructure, with Cold Wallet, XRP, Ethena, and Chainlink leading innovation. - SEC's XRP ruling (commodity classification, $125M penalty) and ProShares ETF drove $1.2B inflows, projecting $12.60 price by year-end. - Ethena expanded cross-chain TVL to $10B via LayerZero, while Chainlink's TVS doubled to $84-95B, securing DeFi through oracle networks. - Cold Wallet's $0.3517 fixed price, 2M users post-Plus Wallet acquisition, and C

Top 4 Bullish Cryptocurrencies in 2025: ETH, XRP, HYPE, and BlockDAG
- 2025 crypto market prioritizes projects with strong tech, utility, and institutional backing, led by ETH, XRP, HYPE, and BlockDAG. - Ethereum's Pectra upgrade boosted scalability, attracting $145B in RWA tokenization and 5% ETF absorption via improved Layer-2 solutions. - XRP gained $1.2B ETF inflows post-regulatory clarity, while Hyperliquid's $43–$44 price range reflects demand for fast, low-cost DeFi trading. - BlockDAG's 15,000 TPS hybrid PoW-DAG architecture and $383M presale position it as a scalab

Shiba Inu's $0.000020 Breakout: Speculative Hype or Strategic Inflection Point?
- Shiba Inu (SHIB) hovers near $0.000020 amid debates over whether its price surge reflects speculative hype or genuine ecosystem-driven value. - Shibarium's 1.5B+ transactions and 30% gas fee cuts correlate with SHIB's resilience, suggesting utility-driven demand despite 39% volume declines. - Deflationary burns reduced supply by 41% in 2025, but macroeconomic factors and whale activity remain key volatility drivers for the token. - Ecosystem expansion into AI, gaming, and metaverse projects aims to trans

The New Gold Rush: Capital Efficiency and Presale Dynamics in Q4 2025 DeFi
- Q4 2025 DeFi balances institutional stability with speculative presales, driven by capital efficiency metrics reshaping asset allocation. - Core-satellite strategies allocate 60-70% to ETH/AAVE (36.4%-72% gains) and 20-30% to high-yield presales like Remittix ($HYPER) offering 205% APY. - Bitcoin DeFi TVL hits $5-6B BTC via layer-2 solutions, while omnichain platforms and AI tools redefine liquidity and institutional adoption. - High-risk presales (e.g., MAGACOIN FINANCE's $12.8M raise) highlight innovat

Trending news
MoreCrypto prices
More








