XRP (XRP 1.28%) has spent several weeks trading around $1.40, which is a far cry from last year, when it surpassed $3 and was arguably the market's hottest cryptocurrency. In fairness, the entire crypto market is experiencing a downturn.
Cryptocurrencies can be unpredictable. But a few catalysts could help XRP build positive momentum before the summer hits.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
1. The Clarity Act just cleared another hurdle
Regulatory uncertainty has been a long-standing issue for the crypto market, but particularly for XRP. Its issuer, Ripple, spent years in a legal battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which alleged that XRP was an unregistered security. Ripple and the SEC settled the lawsuit last August.
The Clarity Act provides a clear regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies. While the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission now already classify XRP as a digital commodity, the Clarity Act could make that classification part of federal law. That would eliminate one of the main concerns regarding XRP and potentially lead to more adoption by financial institutions.
The Senate Banking Committee passed the Clarity Act on May 14, prompting a brief price jump for XRP. The bill now goes to the full Senate for a vote, expected in June.
2. XRP ETFs are heating up
XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) allow institutional investors to hold XRP, and inflows have been ramping up. On May 11, spot XRP ETFs saw inflows of $25.8 million, the largest single-day total since Jan. 5. That wasn't the case for all cryptocurrency ETFs, either. Ethereum ETFs had nearly $17 million in outflows the same day.
XRP ETFs have about $1.3 billion in assets under management as of May 16. JPMorgan Chase has forecast that XRP ETFs could attract inflows of $4 billion to $8 billion in the first year, and while they aren't on that pace yet, inflows can grow quickly when a cryptocurrency builds momentum. The Clarity Act could help with that by cementing XRP's regulatory status.
CRYPTO: XRP
Key Data Points
3. Rakuten is integrating XRP
Last month, Rakuten Wallet, a subsidiary of Japan's largest e-commerce company, integrated XRP into its Rakuten Pay app. The app's 44 million users can now use XRP as a payment method at over 5 million Japanese merchants. Rakuten Wallet also allows users to purchase XRP with their Rakuten Points.
XRP was designed as a payment method, offering fast transactions and low fees. The Rakuten integration is a natural fit that gets XRP in front of a new group of potential users. The fact that users can turn their Rakuten Points into XRP could also drive adoption. Over 3 trillion points have been issued, worth about $23 billion. Since cryptocurrency investing is risky, redeeming points for XRP could become a popular way for new investors to dip their toes into the market without risking actual cash.
XRP has had plenty of positive news lately. That doesn't guarantee that the price will increase. It's impossible to time the market, including the crypto market. Still, the recent developments are good news for XRP investors and could lead to a nice rally going into the summer months.
