XRP’s long history and familiar financial applications help explain its appeal to institutional investors, according to Bitwise’s investment chief. His comments frame advisor interest around confidence in the asset’s longevity and connections to established financial functions.
Key Takeaways
- Hougan calls XRP one of the established major cryptocurrencies.
- The Bitwise CIO says financial advisors recognize its connections to cross-currency transfers and liquidity.
- Confidence in XRP’s longevity does not imply its price will rise.
XRP’s Staying Power Gives Advisors Confidence
Financial advisors evaluating XRP find assurance in its long track record and recognizable financial applications, according to Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at crypto asset manager Bitwise. In a video Token Relations shared on X on Sept. 28 explaining XRP’s institutional appeal, he outlined why the asset resonates with his firm’s audience. The Bitwise CIO stated: “XRP appeals for very simple reasons.”
Hougan called XRP one of the “Mount Rushmore assets in crypto,” a reference to its standing among established major cryptocurrencies. He said:
“A lot of financial advisors look at crypto and wonder, are these things for real? Will they persist? Will they be here into the future? And XRP has this enormous track record and this enormous background that gives people confidence it will be there in the future.”
His first explanation concerns durability, a question advisors face when evaluating newer forms of investment alongside traditional holdings. Cryptocurrencies are digital assets that can be stored, exchanged, and used for payments. Confidence that a token will persist differs from an expectation that its price will rise.
Familiar Financial Uses Strengthen XRP’s Case
Hougan’s second explanation connects that established history with financial services his audience already recognizes and can evaluate. He added: “It fits into real-world applications that they can understand.” He pointed to stablecoins, tokens designed to maintain a reference value, alongside transfers between currencies and liquidity, the availability of assets needed to transact.
Those themes are reflected in activity on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), the blockchain whose native token is XRP. Stablecoin supply and tokenization expanded across XRPL during 2026, even as the token’s price weakened. Tokenization represents assets through blockchain-based tokens; network activity and token prices can follow different paths.
Hougan also cited Ripple’s bank charter efforts as news advisors understand, along with what it could mean for the XRP community. The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted conditional approval for Ripple National Trust Bank on Dec. 12, 2025. That preliminary decision required the proposed institution to meet preopening conditions and receive final authorization before beginning operations.
XRP ETF Assets Retreat From September’s Record
Alongside the video, Token Relations reported that XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) net assets had grown 80% during the third quarter to a record $1.77 billion. ETFs offer investment exposure through exchange-listed shares. The U.S. spot products had accumulated $1.791 billion in cumulative net inflows by Oct. 2.
Subsequent figures illustrate how capital flows and valuations can diverge as XRP’s market price changes. XRP ETF assets declined despite continued inflows after reaching $1.77 billion on Sept. 25. The total fell to approximately $1.69 billion after Sept. 28 and $1.658 billion by Oct. 2, when the funds recorded a $3.28 million outflow entirely from Bitwise.
Exchange-listed products give advisors a familiar route to XRP exposure through brokerage accounts, and Hougan’s firm participates directly in that market. The Bitwise XRP ETF trades on NYSE Arca, a U.S. securities exchange, with a 0.34% annual expense ratio, equivalent to $34 per $10,000 invested. Its issuer listed approximately 412.93 million XRP in trust and $606.47 million in net assets as of Oct. 1.
