XRP has spent the past two months consolidating after a sharp run earlier this year, with prices moving between $2.70 and $3.00. However, analyst Zach Rector expects major inflows into the soon-to-launch XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which he believes could support much higher prices.
Why the High Targets Remain
Rector argues that the data backs up his stance. The CME Group reported that XRP futures have reached a four-month milestone, with nearly 400,000 contracts traded and $18 billion in notional volume. This equals about 6 billion XRP changing hands, or 6% of the total supply. Based on this activity, Rector projects that the XRP spot ETFs set to launch in October could attract between $10 and $20 billion in inflows during their first year.
He sees this level of demand as enough to push XRP into a $20 to $30 price range by 2026, even under conservative assumptions. Short-term volatility, he says, should be treated as “noise” compared to the bigger picture of institutional adoption.
Community and Market Sentiment
Despite the pullback, the XRP community continues to show strength. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently praised the turnout at an event in South Korea, calling it a reflection of the asset’s global following. Upcoming milestones include Ripple’s Swell conference in November, where new partnerships may be highlighted.
ETFs and Institutional Demand
Several crypto ETFs have been approved this year, expanding beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum to include assets such as XRP, Solana, and Cardano. Rector says the inclusion of XRP in funds like the Nasdaq Crypto Index is a strong signal of growing institutional confidence. He argues that inflows from Wall Street firms could act as a supply shock since most XRP is held by long-term investors rather than actively traded on exchanges.