- The SEC has acknowledged the Canary XRP ETF registration, clearing the way for potential launch after Nasdaq certification.
- Trading could begin this Thursday if the listing goes effective at 5:30 PM ET following final regulatory steps.
- XRP is trading at $2.43 after a 3.5% drop, with a market cap of $146 billion placing it as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s acknowledgment of the Canary XRP ETF registration marks a decisive advance toward the first spot-listed XRP ETF in the United States. The move follows months of review and an initial Form S-1 submission on October 24, bringing the fund within one procedural step of effectiveness once Nasdaq certifies its Form 8-A listing at 5:30 p.m. ET. If that certification arrives as scheduled, trading in the XRP ETF is expected to begin at Thursday’s market open, positioning the product as a regulated gateway to XRP exposure for both institutional and retail investors. The development lands while XRP trades near $2.43 after a decline of about 3.5% in the last 24 hours, with a market capitalization close to $146 billion that secures its place as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency.
Regulatory context and timeline for XRP ETF approval
The SEC’s acknowledgment of Canary’s registration signals that the XRP ETF has cleared the core disclosure and structural requirements that govern spot exchange-traded products referencing a single digital asset. The issuer’s October 24 Form S-1 set out the fund’s investment objective, risk factors, custody framework, pricing methodology, and creation-redemption mechanics in a format that aligns with the standards applied to the spot Bitcoin and Ethereum products approved in 2024. As the process advanced, the Form 8-A filing, now acknowledged by the SEC, became the final technical step toward listing on Nasdaq under the proposed ticker once the exchange certifies the instrument and the registration goes effective at 5:30 p.m. ET. At that point, the registration no longer depends on additional discretionary delays, the last formal barrier falls, and the XRP ETF can begin trading with the next opening bell, assuming no further comments emerge. This timeline would place the fund as the first U.S. spot vehicle to track XRP directly, filling a structural gap that remained even after other large-cap crypto assets secured their own spot-based exchange-traded access.
XRP ETF structure, ticker details and market mechanics
The Canary vehicle is structured as a spot XRP ETF that holds XRP in custody with a regulated provider while issuing exchange-traded shares designed to reflect the underlying asset’s price before fees. The fund is expected to list on Nasdaq, with authorized participants using creations and redemptions in-kind or for cash to keep the share price in line with the net asset value derived from its XRP holdings. This operational design mirrors the mechanisms already tested in spot Bitcoin and Ethereum funds, relying on transparent daily holdings, established reference pricing, and segregated cold and warm storage arrangements to reduce operational and counterparty risks. Because the XRP ETF takes exposure through direct spot holdings rather than futures, it avoids structural roll costs and limits tracking discrepancies under normal liquidity conditions, leaving management fees, spreads, and brief dislocations as the main sources of divergence. The listed format allows investors that operate within strict mandates, reporting standards, or internal risk controls to access XRP through a security that settles, clears, and is reported alongside traditional equity and ETF positions, which can simplify compliance workflows once trading begins under its assigned ticker.
Market impact on XRP and institutional positioning
The move toward a live U.S. listing arrives while XRP trades near $2.43, down around 3.5% over the last 24 hours, yet still holding a market capitalization close to $146 billion and ranking as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by value. In the short term, traders treat the XRP ETF catalyst with caution, as some reduce risk ahead of the first sessions while others position for the possibility of new inflows once brokerages, platforms, and model portfolios can route exposure through a listed instrument. Observers draw comparisons with the 2024 spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF launches, where accessible products attracted measurable assets, influenced liquidity, and occasionally amplified price swings around key regulatory and listing milestones. For institutions and professional allocators that already monitor digital assets, the XRP ETF can function as a cleaner building block for portfolio construction, structured notes, and diversified baskets, without direct reliance on offshore exchanges or bespoke custody setups. The trading behavior in the opening days will show whether this new route creates incremental demand for XRP or mainly shifts volume from existing spot markets, but in either case it introduces a transparent, on-exchange reference that markets can track.
Position of the fund within the broader U.S. crypto ETF framework
The anticipated launch fits into a wider shift in the U.S. regulatory landscape, where spot Bitcoin and Ethereum vehicles and several newer single-asset products established a template for bringing digital-asset exposure into the ETF wrapper. Regulators now focus on concrete criteria such as surveillance-sharing agreements with major markets, depth and quality of underlying liquidity, robust custody, and reliable valuation inputs, rather than applying a uniform rejection standard. Within this environment, an approved XRP ETF would extend regulated access to another large-cap network that already processes significant volumes and underpins payment and liquidity use cases, while also testing how much capacity remains for additional spot-based products after a period of strong issuance. If assets in the XRP ETF grow in a measured and stable fashion, the fund could support tighter spreads, deeper order books, and clearer price discovery for XRP on U.S. venues, reinforcing an ecosystem where institutions rely more on listed, regulated channels. Even with moderate uptake, the product would stand as part of a maturing framework in which investors move between different crypto exposures using instruments that follow consistent disclosure, governance, and oversight standards.
Conclusion
The SEC’s acknowledgment of the Canary registration, the scheduled 5:30 p.m. ET effectiveness following Nasdaq certification, and the target for trading to start at Thursday’s market open together define a clear inflection point for U.S.-based XRP access. The XRP ETF applies a familiar spot-backed exchange-traded structure to an established asset, aligning with existing institutional processes for custody, risk control, and reporting rather than demanding bespoke arrangements. At the same time, XRP’s price near $2.43 and market capitalization around $146 billion provide a substantial base against which potential inflows or reallocations can play out without relying on exaggerated expectations. The first sessions will show whether this fund secures a durable role in the growing U.S. crypto ETF market or serves a more focused segment of investors that require listed, regulated exposure to XRP, but in both cases it marks a notable step in the integration of major digital assets into mainstream market infrastructure.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The article does not offer sufficient information to make investment decisions, nor does it constitute an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any financial instrument. The content is opinion of the author and does not reflect any view or suggestion or any kind of advise from CryptoNewsBytes.com. The author declares he does not hold any of the above mentioned tokens or received any incentive from any company.
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