Volatility Shares launches first XRP futures ETF on Nasdaq

Volatility Shares has launched the first-ever XRP futures ETF on Nasdaq today, offering investors indirect exposure to XRP through regulated derivatives for the first time.

According to a SEC filing dated May 21, Volatility Shares, a U.S. firm specializing in innovative ETFs —including leveraged and futures-based products tied to crypto, is launching the first-ever Ripple (XRP) futures exchange-traded fund today, May 22. The new product, listed on Nasdaq under the ticker $XRPI, is the first ETF of its kind to offer indirect exposure to XRP through futures contracts.

The ETF, part of the Volatility Shares Trust, will invest at least 80% of its net assets in XRP-linked instruments, including futures contracts traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, via a subsidiary based in the Cayman Islands. In addition to the standard product, Volatility Shares also plans to introduce a leveraged 2x XRP futures ETF, aimed at delivering twice the daily performance of XRP futures.

Eric Balchunas, a senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, called the 1x XRP futures fund a “market first” in a post on X, noting that its debut follows the successful launch of a 2x XRP futures ETF by Teucrium in April. That leveraged fund has already amassed $120 million in assets under management and sees daily trading volumes around $35 million, an encouraging signal for demand.

The rollout of these XRP-related financial products comes amid broader speculation that the SEC could approve spot XRP ETFs by the end of this year. Several firms, including Franklin Templeton, 21Shares, and Bitwise, are vying to launch spot-based XRP funds, which would hold XRP directly rather than rely on derivatives.

According to Polymarket, traders are placing the probability of a spot XRP ETF being approved in 2025 at 83%. Nate Geraci, president of The ETF Store, echoed that sentiment, stating, “I simply don’t see this SEC not approving a spot XRP ETF.