The Ripple Effect - 8/5/25

XRP Price Snapshot: $3.07 USD (+5.0% 24h) | Market Cap: $181.87B | Rank: #4

XRP shows renewed strength with a 5% daily gain to $3.07, positioning for potential breakout amid growing institutional adoption. SBI Holdings revealed plans to launch exchange-traded funds that include XRP, while RLUSD stablecoin continues gaining momentum with major institutional partnerships. Ecosystem tokens FLR and ONDO are also making strategic moves to capitalize on the tokenization trend.

Market Update

Price Performance: XRP surged 5% over the past 24 hours, climbing from $2.91 to $3.07, outperforming the broader crypto market which gained 1.87%. The token is showing resilience after recent volatility, with analysts predicting XRP could reach $5 if it breaks above the $3.30 resistance level.

Technical Analysis: XRP has held the $3 level despite volatility, signaling resilience and bullish accumulation zones. Analysts from CoinDCX suggest a breakout above $3.50 could set the stage for a run toward $5 by late 2025. Key support remains at the 50-day EMA near $2.78, while a decisive move above $3.42 could push XRP price to $3.60.

Volume & Activity: XRP recorded 62,866 trades in the last 24 hours with 50,898 buyers versus 14,335 sellers, indicating strong bullish sentiment. The token maintains its position as the #4 most popular crypto currently traded on Coinbase.

Key Developments

SBI Japan ETF Breakthrough

Major news emerged from Japan as SBI Holdings, Ripple's longstanding partner, revealed plans to launch exchange-traded funds that include XRP. According to The Crypto Basic's report on SBI's Q2 2025 report published on July 31, SBI disclosed two proposed ETF products seeking approval from Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA).

Proposed ETF Structure:

• Digital Gold Crypto ETF: A hybrid product allocating over 51% to gold ETFs and up to 49% to crypto assets including Bitcoin and XRP
• Crypto Asset ETF: A dedicated cryptocurrency fund including Bitcoin and XRP, planned for listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange

Strategic Significance: This would mark one of the first regulated investment products in Japan to formally incorporate XRP, representing a major step toward mainstream institutional adoption. According to the report, SBI expects Japan's FSA regulatory framework revisions to classify crypto-assets like XRP as legitimate financial instruments, potentially fast-tracking ETF approvals.

SBI's Ripple Connection: SBI Holdings maintains a 9% equity stake in Ripple and expects significant gains from a potential Ripple IPO. According to CoinCentral, the firm reported a 2.8x growth in investment balance over five years, reaching ¥795.1 billion ($5.37 billion), with most portfolio companies expected to go public within two years.

Japanese Banking Revolution

According to Nasdaq, nearly 80% of Japanese banks are expected to integrate XRP into their systems by 2025. SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao has been a vocal advocate, emphasizing XRP's utility for international remittances, particularly vital for Japan's large migrant worker population.

Recent Developments: Japan's Aplus credit card company, under Shinsei Bank Group, launched the country's first point-to-crypto program in collaboration with SBI VC Trade on July 8, 2025. According to BTC Ethereum, cardholders can now convert reward points directly into XRP, Bitcoin, and Ethereum - making it the first major Japanese loyalty program to enable cryptocurrency conversion. Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin continues to gain traction in the market. RLUSD launched in October 2024 and now has about $470 million in circulation, with the company pursuing Fed master account access for its reserve funds.

Key RLUSD Features:

• Fully backed by a segregated reserve of cash and cash equivalents and redeemable 1:1 for US dollars
• Available on exchanges including Uphold, Bitso, MoonPay, Archax, and CoinMENA
• Will be used by Ripple Payments to settle international transactions
• SBI Holdings is preparing to handle RLUSD within the current fiscal year, potentially offering it on SBI VC Trade

Japanese Banking Revolution

Japan continues to lead XRP adoption with nearly 80% of Japanese banks expected to integrate XRP into their systems by 2025. SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao has been a vocal advocate, emphasizing XRP's utility for international remittances. The widespread adoption could significantly impact global cross-border payment processes.

Recent Developments: Japan's Aplus credit card company, under Shinsei Bank Group, launched the country's first point-to-crypto program in collaboration with SBI VC Trade. Cardholders can now convert reward points directly into XRP, Bitcoin, and Ethereum - making it the first major Japanese loyalty program to enable cryptocurrency conversion.

Institutional Adoption

The institutional narrative continues to strengthen with several concrete developments. According to Coinpedia, Nature's Miracle Holding disclosed a $20M XRP treasury, while Brazil's VERT issued $130M in tokenized credit on the XRP Ledger. Additionally, data shows 2,743 wallets hold over 1M XRP, and Japan's Aplus card now offers crypto rewards including XRP.

Notable Mentions

Market Sentiment: The SBI ETF announcement reinforces growing institutional confidence in XRP's regulatory clarity and utility. Canary Capital expects XRP ETFs to outperform ETH and SOL ETFs due to legal clarity and Ripple's global footprint. The firm highlighted Ripple's real-world presence and increasing demand for its cross-border settlement products could give XRP the edge.

Price Predictions: Multiple analysts are expressing bullish sentiment on XRP's near-term prospects. According to Fingerlakes1.com, a growing number of traders and crypto strategists believe XRP's long-awaited $5 breakout may finally come this month, citing strong support bases and technical breakout patterns. However, these remain speculative forecasts based on technical analysis rather than guaranteed outcomes.

XRP Ecosystem & Partner Tokens

Flare (FLR) - $0.024

According to CoinMarketCap, Flare is currently trading at $0.02376 USD with a 24-hour trading volume of $16.3M. The network continues its mission as an EVM-based interoperative blockchain that enables smart contracts on the XRP network.

Key Developments:

• According to BitDegree, upcoming Flare airdrops are expected on May 5, 2025, followed by June 4 and July 4, 2025
• According to a Medium analysis, Uphold's FXRP staking initiative allows XRP holders to earn yield through Flare's FAssets protocol
• According to Bitstamp, Flare runs the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) for smart contract development, making it easy for Ethereum developers to build on Flare

Ondo Finance (ONDO) - $0.93

According to Coinbase, ONDO is currently trading at $0.93, with significant developments in tokenized real-world assets. The project has made major strides in connecting traditional finance with DeFi.

Major Partnership News:

• According to Cointelegraph, Ondo Finance plans to deploy its tokenized US Treasury fund (OUSG) on the XRP Ledger within the next six months
• According to CoinDesk, qualified investors can mint and redeem OUSG around-the-clock with Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin, with an initial supply of $30 million
• According to Ondo's data, OUSG offers an APY of 4.16% and has $184 million in total value locked, backed by the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund

Market Position: According to CoinDesk, the tokenized treasury market has grown to $7.2 billion, with Ondo's OUSG token being one of the largest following BlackRock's and Franklin Templeton's offerings.

Looking Ahead

SBI ETF Timeline: SBI's proposed XRP ETFs await regulatory approval from Japan's Financial Services Agency. The timing could coincide with broader Japanese banking adoption of XRP, creating a powerful institutional adoption narrative.

Technical Targets: According to CoinDCX analysis, if momentum holds, XRP could aim for $5.50–$6.00 in the next two quarters. Key resistance levels to watch include $3.30, $3.42, and the 2025 high at $3.40. However, these are speculative price targets based on technical analysis and market conditions can change rapidly.

Ecosystem Growth: The integration of institutional-grade tokenized assets like ONDO's OUSG with RLUSD on the XRP Ledger represents a significant step toward mainstream adoption of blockchain-based financial products.

Sources

1. Coinbase XRP Price Data
2. XRP Price Prediction Analysis - Fingerlakes1.com
3. CoinDCX XRP Weekly Analysis
4. FX Leaders - XRP Lawsuit Update
5. AI Invest - XRP Legal Case Analysis
6. TradingView - August 15 Countdown
7. Ripple RLUSD Official Page
8. Fortune - RLUSD Launch Coverage
9. Cointelegraph - Ondo Finance XRP Ledger Integration
10. CoinDesk - Ondo Treasury Token on XRPL

DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities. XRP and cryptocurrency investments carry significant risks including potential total loss, extreme volatility, and regulatory uncertainty. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Unless we have a formal advisory agreement, I am not acting as your investment adviser. Consult a qualified financial professional and conduct your own research before making investment decisions.