Jake Claver: BlackRock XRP ETF could be next as XRPL attracts big finance
Jake Claver, chairman of Digital Ascension Group and crypto commentator @beyond_broke, is betting that growing institutional interest in the XRP Ledger (XRPL) could eventually lead to a BlackRock-backed XRP ETF. Speaking in a recent interview — a full version of which is due on the Deep Dive podcast next week — Claver argued rising real-world usage of XRPL’s payments and settlement tooling would be the kind of on-chain momentum that could justify institutional products tied to XRP.
“We could see a BlackRock ETF,” Claver said, while noting XRP may need to reach “a significantly higher price” before it becomes widely adopted for settlement by large institutions. He added that increased blockchain activity could support higher XRP prices and create the market conditions for ETFs or other product launches.
Why the timing matters
Claver’s comments arrive as BlackRock continues to expand its crypto ETF suite. On June 16, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF (BITA) is scheduled to begin trading on Nasdaq after SEC approval. BITA is structured to generate income via a covered-call strategy linked to BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) and targets annual yields in the 15–25% range — a move that underscores the asset manager’s appetite for new crypto products.
Institutional interest in XRPL
Claver’s speculation isn’t coming from nowhere. Earlier this year, XRPL Commons director Odelia Torteman said major financial players — including BlackRock, Mastercard and Franklin Templeton — have been evaluating the XRP Ledger for cross-asset payments and settlement infrastructure designed for regulated institutions. Torteman specifically flagged growing institutional curiosity around XRPL-native features, such as its decentralized exchange (DEX) and automated market maker (AMM).
Notable enterprise and ecosystem developments
A string of partnerships and product launches has helped push XRPL into the spotlight among traditional finance and fintech firms:
- Tokenized lending: Ripple teamed with Franklin Templeton and DBS on a tokenized lending initiative that incorporated the RLUSD stablecoin, signaling institutional experimentation with XRPL-native financial products.
- Tokenized fund conversions: Securitize enabled conversions between shares of BlackRock’s tokenized BUIDL fund and RLUSD, illustrating cross-product interoperability between tokenized securities and XRPL stablecoins.
- Stablecoin expansion: Ripple deepened ties with Latin American exchange Bitso by bringing the Mexican peso–backed MXNB stablecoin to XRPL and integrating it into Payments on Decentralized Exchange (PoDEx) — adding another regulated settlement asset to the network.
- AI tooling and agent payments: Ripple released an AI Starter Kit for developers to build agent-based payment apps on XRPL and announced support for the X402 protocol, which aims to let AI agents transact using XRP and RLUSD.
What it could mean
Taken together, these moves suggest growing institutional experimentation on XRPL — from tokenized securities and stablecoins to settlement rails and AI-enabled payment tools. For market observers like Claver, that momentum could someday justify a major asset manager filing for an XRP ETF, though such a product would depend on regulatory, market-price and infrastructure developments.
Bottom line: Institutional interest and real-world XRPL integrations are on the rise, but a BlackRock XRP ETF remains speculative for now. Claver’s forecast highlights how increasing on-chain usage could be the catalyst that turns those discussions into tradable products.
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