XRP hits a new high after seven years: market capitalization jumps to third place, institutional buying and ETF expectations boost the rise

XRP hits a seven-year high, market capitalization rises to the top three in encryption On July 18, the price of XRP reached a new high of $3.64, surpassing the previous high of $3.40 from January 2018. Data shows that as of the time of writing, XRP is priced at $3.59, with a daily increase of 18% and a weekly increase of 40%. In terms of market capitalization, XRP has surpassed 21.2 billion USD, increasing by 65% compared to last month, successfully overtaking Tether to become the third largest encryption asset by market capitalization, only behind Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Trading activity surges, and the derivatives market rises in tandem The XRP spot trading volume surged 135.5% within the day, reaching $19.05 billion. Derivatives trading also saw significant growth: futures trading volume increased by 162.6% to $46.65 billion, and open interest grew by 27% to $11.11 billion, indicating a rapid increase in speculative sentiment and market positioning.

Stablecoin regulations promote Ripple ecosystem upgrade The recent rise of XRP is driven by multiple factors. Ripple has recently been actively promoting financial compliance processes, including applying for a national trust bank license in the United States together with Circle, and preparing to launch its stablecoin RLUSD on a large scale. On July 17, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the GENIUS Act, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for stablecoins, including 100% reserves, audits, and compliance licensing. Ripple has already met the regulatory standards and is collaborating with BNY Mellon to custody its reserve assets while seeking to apply for a Federal Reserve master account. RLUSD is expected to become one of the first compliant stablecoins, further enhancing XRP's demand position in the financial system.

Institutional buying and legal benefits help XRP break through XRP is also gaining recognition from more and more institutions. VivoPower International and Webus recently announced that they will jointly purchase $421 million worth of XRP as corporate treasury assets, which enhances the market's confidence in the long-term value of XRP. On a legal level, both Ripple and the SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) have expressed a willingness to withdraw their appeals, indicating that both parties may be close to reaching a final settlement. This development alleviates regulatory uncertainty and lays the foundation for the continued rise of XRP.

ETF Expectations Ignite Long-Term Capital Attention The market is still closely watching the possibility of an XRP spot ETF. Just as Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs have attracted a large amount of institutional capital, if the XRP ETF is approved, it may attract more traditional financial capital, such as pension funds and wealth management institutions, into the asset market.

Conclusion: XRP has successfully broken through a seven-year high and entered a new cyclical upward channel, driven by multiple favorable factors such as regulatory clarity, institutional backing, and ETF expectations. With the accelerated compliance progress of the Ripple ecosystem, XRP is expected to become a key pillar asset for compliant stablecoins and cross-border payments, making it worth the continued attention of encryption users.