Franklin Templeton Joins XRP ETF Race, Calling It ‘Foundational’ to Global Finance

Franklin Templeton launched its XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF), the Franklin XRP Trust (XRPZ), on NYSE Arca Monday, giving investors regulated access to the XRP token. The move places one of Wall Street’s oldest institutions into the growing field of XRP fund issuers, which already includes Bitwise, Grayscale and Canary Capital.The launch expands Franklin’s crypto lineup. It now manages ETFs tied to bitcoin (EZBC), ether (EZET), XRP (XRPZ), and its diversified digital asset fund (EZPZ), offering traditional investors exposure to a broader range of crypto assets without requiring self-custody.David Mann, Head of ETF Product and Capital Markets at Franklin Templeton, said in a statement Monday that XRP plays a “foundational role in global settlement infrastructure.”The rollout marks a significant turn in XRP’s fortunes. Just five years ago, the token faced mass delistings from major exchanges after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued Ripple in late 2020. The agency alleged Ripple had sold XRP as an unregistered security since 2013. That lawsuit finally settled in August 2025, when Ripple agreed to pay the SEC a $125 million settlement without admitting wrongdoing.Since then, interest in XRP has rebounded, particularly as regulators have begun to outline clearer rules for digital assets. Franklin Templeton’s ETF is part of a broader trend of institutional players entering the crypto space through regulated investment vehicles.“Blockchain innovation is driving fast-growing businesses, and digital asset tokens like XRP serve as powerful incentive mechanisms that help bootstrap decentralized networks and align stakeholder interests,” said Roger Bayston, head of digital assets at Franklin Templeton. “Within a diversified digital portfolio, we view XRP as a foundational building block. XRPZ provides regulated custody, daily transparency and liquidity without the operational complexity of holding the token directly.”The ETF structure lets institutional and retail investors gain XRP exposure through brokerage accounts, with daily pricing and SEC oversight. Grayscale’s XRP ETF also launched Monday. Crypto asset manager Bitwise launched its XRP ETF last week and saw roughly $118,000,000 in inflows, Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley said.