According to community figure Luke Thomas, the XRP community could see several impactful developments for both Ripple and XRP in the coming months.
He has laid out his predictions for the next three to nine months, projecting major events that may solidify Ripple’s position in the finance scene and bolster XRP growth. His commentary comes on the back of Donald Trump’s recent win in the U.S. presidential election.
RLUSD, XRP ETF, Ripple v. SEC Settlement
Thomas anticipates the first event will be a set of new stablecoin regulations that could enable Ripple to launch its upcoming stablecoin, RLUSD. Notably, Ripple has already partnered with exchanges for this purpose, but they’re awaiting final regulatory approval.
Secondly, Thomas also predicts that major financial firms might soon file for XRP-focused spot ETFs, similar to how BlackRock and others have shown interest in Bitcoin ETFs. Following the launch of Bitcoin ETFs, the investment products have become a success.
He believes the forthcoming XRP ETFs could either be standalone or bundled with other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Solana.
Interestingly, asset managers Canary Capital, Bitwise, and 21Shares have already submitted XRP ETF applications. Also, Grayscale has requested to convert its multi-asset trust that includes XRP into an ETF.
Thomas suggests that the third key development could be a settlement in the ongoing Ripple vs. SEC lawsuit. He envisions this settlement involving the $125 million set by the court. However, the case is already heading to appeal, with the SEC’s deadline to submit its appeal brief being January 2025.
However, the pundit believes there could be a settlement. This largely syncs with speculation of a termination of the case should the new Trump administration fire the SEC Chair Gary Gensler and effect a new management.
Ripple IPO, RWA Tokenization, Utility Tokens’ Boost
For the fourth event, Thomas says Ripple might reveal plans for an Initial Public Offering (IPO), possibly by Q3 or Q4 of 2025. Although Ripple previously ruled out a U.S.-based IPO due to regulatory concerns, the recent change in administration might sway Ripple’s position.
In the fifth development, Thomas suggests a rise in bank adoption of XRP. He believes U.S. banks may begin integrating XRP for cross-border payments, with at least one top five bank potentially making a strong commitment to using XRP. However, this remains highly speculative.
Meanwhile, Thomas says the sixth event is likely to be a wave of acquisitions by Ripple after a successful IPO. He believes the company may use IPO funds to expand its product portfolio, especially in the Real-World Assets (RWA) sector.
The community pundit also sees Ripple targeting the derivatives market, a sector worth quadrillion, to diversify its offerings. Interestingly, Ripple has recently shown interest in the tokenization scene, having acquired Metaco.
For the seventh development, Thomas expects a shift in the crypto market as regulations tighten. He sees a scenario where meme coins and other non-utility tokens fade from prominence, with the market focusing more on utility tokens that deliver real-world value.
Bank Adoption, SWIFT Partnership, CBDCs
Thomas says the eighth event will involve banks offering custodial and trading services for crypto, allowing Gen X and Boomers to manage digital assets directly from mobile banking apps.
For the ninth development, the community commentator predicts a partnership between Ripple and SWIFT, which would integrate SWIFT into the XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem. However, this projection is very speculative and largely unlikely amid current conditions.
In addition, Thomas believes the tenth event is Ripple becoming a prominent figure in the Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) stablecoins and crypto-fiat conversion scene.
Finally, the market commentator sees an eleventh development in which Ripple’s global reach positions it as the first double-digit trillion-dollar crypto company. While this remains highly speculative, Thomas maintains that Ripple’s international business presence amid favorable regulations could support this audacious goal.
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