Solana

Solana's "Flip The Switch" Post Sparks Wild Speculation About XRP Partnership

Solana's "flip the switch" post using XRP's 589 meme sparked speculation amid XRP's record $900M ETF inflows. With exchange supply at 12-year lows and a potential 14-17 month liquidity crunch ahead, is this strategic timing or brilliant marketing?

The Ripple Effect

— 9 min read
Solana's "Flip The Switch" Post Sparks Wild Speculation About XRP Partnership

Solana escalated its unexpected outreach to the XRP community with a new post captioned 'time to flip the switch', accompanied by a castle-themed illustration placing SOL at the top, Bitcoin and XRP on opposite towers. The December 9, 2025 social media post by the official Solana account has triggered one of the most significant cross-community reactions in recent crypto history—and it's not by accident.

The Cryptic "589" Connection

The number 589 remains one of XRP's most controversial symbols, originating from a viral 2019 meme claiming The Simpsons predicted XRP would hit $589. While thoroughly debunked, the figure has evolved into a cultural touchstone for the XRP Army—representing ambitious price targets and community solidarity.

When Solana's official account posted simply "589" on December 8, followed by the "flip the switch" image the next day, the post surged past 3.2 million views, nearly 10,000 likes and a massive reply wall driven almost entirely by XRP accounts. Vet, an XRPL dUNL validator, claimed that Solana's 589 tweet is the most-viewed post in the platform's history.

Brad Garlinghouse's "Flip The Switch" Origins

The phrase "flip the switch" carries particular weight in this context. In a 2019 interview, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse told Fortune that he believes many of the 200 banks and financial institutions that have joined Ripple's network are poised to "flip the switch" and integrate the digital asset XRP.

Garlinghouse stated: "This is the year the wheat will be separated from the chaff. Not many months ago, the media was saying no one will use XRP, which made for good skeptical headlines. Today, you can't say that, as people are starting to use xRapid because it's better, faster and cheaper."

A theory has been built among the XRP community that the change in the price and role of XRP in the financial market will happen very rapidly just like turning on a light—though Ripple itself has distanced itself from such extreme predictions.

What's Behind the Timing?

The timing of Solana's posts is particularly intriguing given recent market dynamics:

XRP's Recent Dominance:
XRP surpassed $2 for the first time in nearly seven years and displaced Solana in market valuation, surpassing Solana to take the fourth-highest spot among all digital assets with a current market value of $121 billion, while Solana's market value was approximately $112 billion.

Regulatory Optimism:
Brad Garlinghouse posted in January 2025: "2025 is here and the Trump bull market is real. For Ripple, this is even more personal after Gensler's SEC effectively froze our business opportunities here at home for years." He noted that Ripple signed more US deals in the last six weeks of 2024 (since the election) than the previous six months.

Strategic Positioning:
Luke Judges, Ripple's Head of Global Partner Success, stated that XRP needs to adopt a "Solana-style strategy," emphasizing that technological strength alone isn't enough and highlighting the need for pragmatism and speed of execution.

The XRP ETF Explosion: Record-Breaking Inflows

While Solana's social media team captures attention, XRP is experiencing unprecedented institutional demand through its newly launched spot ETFs—a development that could make Solana's timing particularly strategic.

Current ETF Landscape

Approved and Trading:
As of December 8, 2025, 5 XRP spot ETFs are trading in the United States with combined assets under management of $972 million and 477.9 million XRP tokens locked. These include:

  • Canary Capital's XRPC (launched November 13, 2025)
  • Bitwise's XRP (launched November 20, 2025)
  • Grayscale's GXRP (launched November 24, 2025)
  • Franklin Templeton's XRPZ (launched November 24, 2025)
  • REX-Osprey's XRPR (first to launch in September 2025)

Historic Performance:
XRP ETFs became the second-fastest to cross the $800 million milestone, achieving it in just 13 days. For comparison, Bitcoin ETFs crossed $800 million in only two days, while Ethereum ETFs reached this level after 95 trading days, or roughly three months.

The total inflows have risen to almost $900 million, with all trading days since November 13 recording positive flows—a streak unmatched by any other crypto ETF launch in 2025.

Pending Approvals: The Pipeline Awaits

According to Coinpedia, multiple spot XRP ETF applications from major firms have final deadlines set for October 2025, though approvals have been delayed due to the US government shutdown. Around 8 major firms, including additional applications from major issuers, are waiting for SEC approval.

Key pending applications include:

  • 21Shares XRP ETF (expected imminently)
  • Additional applications from WisdomTree
  • CoinShares XRP ETF
  • Several leveraged and futures-based products

Bloomberg analysts Eric Balchunas and James Seyffart stated that XRP and Solana are among cryptocurrencies expected to see "a wave of cryptocurrency ETFs" approved in 2025, though XRP ETFs will likely be held up longer than others while legal hurdles are resolved.

The Looming Liquidity Crunch: A Supply Shock in Progress?

The explosive ETF demand is creating what analysts describe as a potential supply crisis—and the timeline is surprisingly short.

Exchange Supply Collapse

XRP reserves on Binance dropped to a 12-month low of 2.71 billion XRP as of late November 2025. The exchange lost about 73 million XRP in a single day, with approximately 100 million XRP withdrawn since the ETF launches began.

Major centralized exchanges collectively hold approximately 5-6 billion XRP in liquid supply, representing roughly 9% to 11% of the circulating 56 billion XRP.

The 14-17 Month Timeline

Critical Finding: AI analysis reviewed by analyst Brad Kimes calculated that at current ETF inflow rates of approximately $26 million per day (about 11.8 million XRP at $2.20), ETF issuers would need about 422 days to absorb 5 billion XRP, and about 506 days to absorb 6 billion XRP—placing the full drain within about 14 to 17 months.

Important Context: ETF managers cannot buy XRP directly from Ripple or from escrow due to regulatory restrictions governing fair market access. They must purchase tokens from the same pool used by retail traders, amplifying competition for available supply.

Price Impact Scenarios

Analysts have modeled several potential outcomes if the supply crunch intensifies:

Conservative Scenario ($5-$10):
Analysts suggest that if ETF demand continues and each pending ETF brings in even $1 billion, XRP could reach $5-$10 by the end of 2025.

Moderate Scenario ($20-$25):
AI model Gemini described a more intense supply crunch that could lift XRP toward $20 to $25 if investors try to price it alongside Ethereum, especially if ETH's valuation climbs toward $1 trillion in a future bull run.

Extreme Scenario ($47+):
Analyst FeFe argues that if spot XRP ETFs attract $10 billion in inflows during their first months and create a genuine liquidity crisis, XRP could reach as high as $47, noting that traders may need to buy more than 4 billion XRP at current prices while only approximately $3 billion sits on exchanges and less than $500 million in OTC markets.

Reality Check: These projections are highly speculative and assume sustained ETF demand, minimal selling pressure, and limited new supply entering the market. Historical crypto price predictions have frequently missed targets by wide margins.

Speculation About Potential Collaboration

IMPORTANT: Neither Solana nor Ripple has announced any formal partnership, integration, or collaboration. The following represents community speculation and theories, not confirmed plans.

The Theory: Cross-Chain Integration

Community observers have suggested that Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin could launch on Solana, with several commentators mentioning possible cross-ecosystem collaboration if the two networks align on future payment or liquidity tools.

Why It Might Work:

  • Solana's technical advantages include its low-fee structure and 400 millisecond block times
  • Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin is expanding across multiple chains
  • Both ecosystems focus on payment efficiency and institutional adoption
  • Timing aligns with XRP's explosive ETF momentum

Why It Might Not:

  • No official statements from either organization
  • The posts could be pure social media engagement strategy
  • Historical competition between the communities
  • Technical integration challenges remain unaddressed
  • ETF liquidity demands may make partnerships less urgent

Reality Check: What Experts Say

The Solana account tagged David Schwartz - Ripple's CTO and one of the original architects of the XRP Ledger - who has not reacted yet, despite the growing noise around the post.

Industry observers remain divided on whether this represents genuine cross-ecosystem interest or sophisticated social media marketing, with some believing the message aimed to generate attention while others explored strategic angles.

Market Implications

XRP Analysis

Current Position:
As of December 9, 2025, XRP is trading at $2.06, with resistance at $2.10 and support at $2, with $1.92 as the next zone.

Positive Factors:

  • Nearly $1 billion in ETF inflows in less than one month
  • 13+ consecutive days of positive ETF flows with no outflows
  • Exchange supply at multi-year lows
  • Potential supply crunch within 14-17 months at current pace
  • Multiple additional ETFs awaiting approval
  • Regulatory environment improving under new administration
  • RLUSD stablecoin gaining traction

Challenges:

Solana Analysis

Current Position:
Solana is trading at $132.7, with resistance at $138 and support at $130, with $122 below it.

Growth Trajectory: Market analysis shows that while SOL consolidates, on-chain metrics indicate a likelihood of recovery in Solana in the coming weeks.

Competitive Positioning: A market report by 21Shares shows that throughout 2024 Solana captured a large volume of Ethereum's market share, with over $2 billion in cryptocurrencies transferred directly from Ether to Solana, and SOL noting net inflows of $1.2 billion.

ETF Comparison:
Solana ETFs, which launched two weeks before XRP's products, have reached $650.81 million in cumulative inflows after 25 trading days—impressive but outpaced by XRP's $800+ million in just 13 days.

The Broader Context: Crypto Community Dynamics

Vet, an XRPL validator, highlighted that interest from the XRP community can transform engagement for any major project, adding that tapping into XRP and the XRP community "gets you millions of friends instantly."

This episode demonstrates the power of community-driven narratives in cryptocurrency markets—particularly when combined with genuine fundamental developments like record ETF inflows and shrinking exchange supply.

What Happens Next?

All eyes are now on multiple fronts:

Immediate:

Medium-Term (3-6 months):

  • Will additional pending XRP ETFs receive approval?
  • How will the supply crunch manifest if ETF demand continues?
  • Will RLUSD launch on Solana or other competing chains?

Long-Term (12-17 months):

  • Can ETF demand truly drain exchange supply as projected?
  • What price levels emerge if a genuine liquidity crisis develops?
  • Will Solana and XRP find common ground beyond social media?

Timeline Uncertainty:
No official announcements, timelines, or confirmations exist regarding partnerships. The supply crunch timeline assumes sustained ETF demand at current rates, which may not materialize. Price predictions are highly speculative and should not be considered investment advice.

Conclusion

Solana's "flip the switch" post has successfully triggered massive engagement by tapping into XRP community culture and Brad Garlinghouse's historic phrase about banking adoption. But beneath the social media spectacle lies a far more significant story: XRP is experiencing the fastest-growing crypto ETF launch in 2025, with nearly $1 billion in institutional inflows creating a potential supply crisis.

Analyst Darfost noted that "fewer tokens available on trading platforms, combined with growing institutional demand, create a potentially powerful setup. If this trend continues, XRP could move into a more structured phase with expanding institutional interest."

Whether Solana's posts represent genuine partnership interest, brilliant marketing, or simply opportunistic engagement with the crypto zeitgeist, the timing is undeniable: XRP is at an inflection point. With 8 major firms still awaiting SEC approval for additional ETFs and exchange reserves at multi-year lows, the next 14-17 months could determine whether the "flip the switch" narrative becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy—or remains another crypto market meme.

For now, both the XRP and Solana communities continue to speculate, while institutional capital votes with unprecedented inflows that are already reshaping XRP's supply dynamics in real-time.

DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, advertising, or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities. This content is not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the mentioned entities. Investments in cryptocurrencies or other financial assets carry significant risks, including the potential for total loss, extreme volatility, and regulatory uncertainty. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Price predictions and supply crunch timelines are highly speculative scenarios that may not materialize. Always consult a qualified financial professional and conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions.

Sources

Primary Sources:

Market Analysis & Social Media:

XRP ETF Data & Analysis:

Supply Crunch Analysis:

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