XRP Gains Interest From Retail and Institutional Investors

Uphold President Nancy Beaton recently explained why both retail and institutional investors are paying attention to XRP. She spoke during a special edition of Ripple’s “Crypto in a Minute,” renamed “XRP in a Minute” for the occasion, at the just-concluded XRP Las Vegas (XRPLV) event.

Retail Interest: Earning Returns on XRP

Beaton noted that retail interest is largely driven by the expected ability to earn returns directly on XRP. This relates to new features being developed on the XRP Ledger, specifically the XLS-66 Lending Protocol, which works alongside XLS-65 for Single Asset Vaults. These tools would allow users to lend their XRP through built-in systems on the XRPL. Investors could place funds into pooled vaults, including those focused on XRP or stablecoins like RLUSD. Borrowers could then access structured or even uncollateralized loans with fixed interest rates, set repayment terms, and protections such as first-loss capital coverage. The goal is to give users a way to earn passive income while keeping control of their assets on-chain.

At press time, the XLS-66d amendment had entered validator voting after the release of XRPL v3.1.0 in late January 2026. To go live, it needs 80% approval for two straight weeks. Currently, it stands at 22.86%, still far from the required level. Despite this, interest is already building. Notably, Evernorth has publicly said it plans to use the system and pointed to the possibility of multi-billion-dollar yearly returns for the XRP community. Other parts of the ecosystem also support the trend. The automated market maker feature, introduced through XLS-30 in 2024, already lets users earn fees by providing liquidity.

Institutional Interest: Tokenization and Compliance

Beaton also highlighted institutional interest, stressing that it comes from traditional financial firms moving toward blockchain technology. She believes the XRPL sits in a position to benefit. The XRP Ledger stands out because it supports tokenization directly, processes transactions quickly, keeps costs low, and includes built-in compliance features. These strengths match what institutions need as they explore tokenizing real-world assets and moving operations on-chain.

The XRPL has continued to see strong growth in tokenized real-world assets, adding $1.4 billion within the past 30 days to reach $3.9 billion. This made XRPL the fastest-growing network in the real-world asset space during this period. Several major partnerships have materialized. For instance, Archax has provided tokenized access to abrdn’s £3.8 billion liquidity fund. Additionally, Ondo Finance has launched its OUSG product, which represents tokenized U.S. Treasuries, on XRPL with RLUSD integration.

The post XRP Gains Interest From Retail and Institutional Investors appeared first on TheCryptoUpdates.