According to PANews, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is rubbing his hands in joy, as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) is preparing to launch futures contracts on XRP. Do you understand what this means? XRP, which has been mocked for years, called a 'banker's coin', 'grandma's crypto', is now officially becoming an adult.
Irony? Please! XRP, which the SEC tried to bury with a lawsuit in 2020, is now, in 2025, opening the doors to the largest regulated platform in America. It's like being expelled from school for 'bad behavior' and then being asked to give a speech at graduation.
A few dry figures to not sound completely crazy:
• CME is not 'some exchange'. It is the center of global derivatives trading with a turnover of over $5 trillion a day.
• The introduction of Bitcoin futures in 2017 preceded its rise to $20,000. Remember that crazy December?
• The launch of Ethereum futures in 2021 on CME solidified ETH as the second-largest asset by market capitalization.
• As of today, the market capitalization of XRP is about $37 billion. Compare this with Bitcoin ($1.3 trillion) and Ethereum ($450 billion). There is a difference. But the main thing is the direction of movement.
Now, thanks to futures, large funds, insurance companies, and pension giants can legally enter XRP through regulated instruments. No MetaMask, no DeFi failures, no panic. Beautiful, with reports to the board of directors.
And most importantly: futures always prepare the ground for a spot ETF. And if a spot ETF on XRP is approved... well, get the popcorn ready. Bitcoin's spot ETFs brought in $12 billion in investments literally just a couple of months after their launch. Now imagine what will happen with an asset that has been hiding in the bushes all this time.
Why is this really fun?
Because this whole story is living proof that time puts everything in its place. XRP, which was laughed at, is on the brink of the largest upgrade in its history. Ironic? Of course. Predictable? For those who looked beyond the headlines — absolutely.
So, a short conclusion
XRP is now in the ring with the big boys. Futures are coming. Institutions are coming. A spot ETF looms on the horizon. And the price of XRP? If history teaches us anything — it rarely stands still when real liquidity arrives.
