The conclusion of the Ripple lawsuit accelerates expectations for BlackRock's XRP ETF approval, while trading volume in South Korea surges by 1211% | New trends in 2025 encryption ETF

The legal battle between Ripple and the SEC has officially come to an end, with the appeal process being withdrawn, clearing key regulatory hurdles for XRP. The market reacted strongly: XRP rose 13.27% in 24 hours, trading volume on Korean exchanges surged by 1211%, and the derivatives market saw $416,000 in bullish bets (strike price $3.20). ETF expert Nate Geraci predicts that the world's largest asset management company, BlackRock, will soon apply for an XRP Spot ETF through the iShares platform, while Polymarket predicts its approval probability has soared to 88%. Although Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas remains cautious, legal clarity has opened the door for institutional diversification, and Ripple simultaneously invested $200 million to acquire Rail to strengthen stablecoin infrastructure.

BlackRock XRP ETF on the horizon? Experts debate the application timeline Nate Geraci, president of ETF Store, clearly predicted on platform X: BlackRock will take advantage of the conclusion of the XRP lawsuit to submit an application for an XRP Spot ETF. Geraci pointed out, "The timing is perfect, and BlackRock is obviously waiting for legal clarity." This view has received support from many crypto ETF strategists, who believe that BlackRock needs to go beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs to provide diversified exposure to digital assets to meet institutional demand.

However, Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas raised an objection: "I think BlackRock is quite satisfied with the two existing (BTC/ETH) ETFs." While he acknowledged that this is more of an intuition than hard evidence, it suggests diminishing marginal returns for expanding into mainstream alternative coins. The divergence between the two parties highlights the strategic game of expansion in the crypto ETF space.

Market Frenzy Response: South Korea's volume nuclear explosion, options betting bullish at $3.30 The legal finality triggers market frenzy:

(Source: CoinMarketCap)

• Price Surge: XRP rose 13.27% in 24 hours (CoinMarketCap), significantly outperforming the market's 3.75% increase.
• South Korea Big Volume: Local exchange XRP trading volume surged 1211%, showing Asian retail buying power dominance.
• Options Gamble:D Traders on Eribit paid $416,000 to snap up 100,000 call/put contracts (strike price $3.10-$3.20) to bet on a short-term volatility spike
• Market Cap Surge: The spot price once broke $3.32, with a total market cap returning to 22 billion USD.

The probability of ETF approval has jumped to 88%, and regulatory resistance has diminished The prediction market Polymarket shows that the probability of XRP ETF approval surged from 65% after SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw's opposition to 88%. Analyst Balchunas downplayed the impact: "Crenshaw has consistently opposed all crypto ETFs but is often overridden by majority vote." After legal obstacles are cleared, the compliance channel for U.S. exchanges and financial products (including ETFs) integrating XRP is now unobstructed.

XRP ecosystem boosts: 200 million acquisition of Rail, solidifying stablecoin infrastructure As the clouds of litigation dissipate, Ripple swiftly announces the acquisition of the digital payment platform Rail for 200 million USD. This move aims to strengthen the infrastructure of its stablecoin project RLUSD, highlighting the company's determination to accelerate its cross-border payment strategy and compliant stablecoin issuance. Business deregulation and capital operations are synchronized, laying the ecological foundation for the potential landing of an ETF.

【Conclusion】 The judicial finality of the Ripple lawsuit against the SEC has not only led to a retaliatory rise in XRP but has also restructured the landscape of crypto ETFs. Geraci's BlackRock application, if realized, would mark the first time mainstream asset management expands Spot ETF targets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, opening the floodgates for altcoin institutionalization. Although Balchunas's cautious viewpoint reflects some market concerns, Polymarket's 88% approval probability and the explosive volume in Korea confirm a strong capital demand for XRP compliant trading channels. As Ripple invests to完善 its stablecoin ecosystem, the XRP ecosystem is forming a three-stage booster rocket of “judicial confirmation - ETF expectations - payment infrastructure.” What the crypto market is waiting for may be BlackRock's historic application document.