XRP is drawing renewed attention from financial advisers and institutional players, with fresh reports of real-world pilots and rising client inquiries. Activity remains largely exploratory, however, as firms evaluate the XRP Ledger’s infrastructure while regulatory, custody, and product-structure hurdles continue to shape investable demand.
Advisor Inquiries Put XRP Back in Focus
Grayscale Investments says XRP has become one of the most frequently discussed crypto assets among financial advisers. Rayhaneh Sharif-Askary, head of Product and Research at Grayscale, noted that adviser conversations increasingly feature XRP, often ranking it just behind Bitcoin in client interest.
“Advisors are constantly asked by their clients about XRP, and in some cases, it’s the second most talked about asset in this community behind Bitcoin,” Sharif-Askary said during Ripple’s XRP Community Day on February 16, 2026, according to a Grayscale communication. People familiar with sales desks add that client curiosity is widespread, though it does not necessarily translate into large-scale allocations.
Pilots Test Tokenization and Settlement
Major financial and payments firms have been linked to exploratory projects on the XRP Ledger, including pilots examining tokenized instruments and settlement workflows. BlackRock and Mastercard have been cited in testing initiatives designed to assess whether on-chain liquidity and programmable money can streamline traditional processes. These efforts remain limited in scope and are not production deployments.
Separately, collaboration between market-infrastructure teams and crypto specialists is gaining traction around fund-share swaps and stablecoin rails. Securitize has worked on bridging traditional fund shares to on-chain representations, while Gemini has been named in pilots aimed at converting fund exposure into more liquid, on-chain formats.
Ledger Features Under Institutional Review
The XRP Ledger (XRPL) — a public blockchain known for fast settlement and low transaction fees — is being evaluated for features that may appeal to enterprises. Reports highlight:
- Native automated market maker (AMM)-like functionality and an on-ledger exchange
- Trust line mechanisms that can align with compliance workflows
- Throughput and fee characteristics suited to high-frequency settlement
Institutional interest in XRP is also tied to practical considerations that drive capital flows, including supply dynamics, custody arrangements, and the availability of regulated investment products.
Tokenized Funds: Early Results, Ongoing Questions
Franklin Templeton and DBS participated in tokenized fund pilots last year, testing how regulated assets could move on-chain with improved liquidity. Early findings indicate tokenization can shorten settlement times, but legal frameworks, custody models, and operational standards remain key hurdles before broader adoption.
Bottom line: Adviser interest and early pilots are keeping XRP in the conversation, yet most activity is still in testing. The path to scaled institutional participation will depend on regulatory clarity, custody readiness, and maturing product wrappers that meet enterprise requirements.