As the financial industry accelerates its push toward tokenising real-world assets, attention is increasingly turning to the infrastructure that could support this transformation. Advocates argue that XRP and the XRP Ledger may already have the tools that are needed for this shift and have supported asset issuance and tokenized value transfers long before the concept became a mainstream focus in global finance. How The XRP Ledger Handles Asset Issuance At Scale The current developments around XRP are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore as the broader financial world begins focusing on tokenisation. According to a post on X by crypto analyst XFinanceBull, the former Ripple executive Ashish Birla has recently highlighted a crucial detail that many investors may overlook: the XRP Ledger was already capable of tokenizing assets such as gold more than a decade ago. Related Reading: Ripple Exec Clears The Air On Blocked XRP Transactions – When Does It Happen? Meanwhile, the infrastructure was built long before the current wave of institutional interest in tokenised finance. Currently, major financial firms such as BlackRock and Franklin Templeton are actively entering the tokenisation race. As regulatory clarity gradually evolves, institutional capital is flowing into the digital asset infrastructure, and the market is finally focusing on the same challenge the XRP Ledger was designed to address. If tokenised real-world assets moving on-chain eventually reach trillions of dollars in scale, the network that provides the rails that settle value could become extremely important. Xfinancebull argues that the technology cycles tend to follow a predictable path, in which infrastructure is built first, and then price follows adoption. The Math Behind XRP Ledger’s Massive Throughput Potential The question of whether the XRP Ledger can handle real global-scale transaction volume is best answered with simple math. Crypto investor Grape explained that the network closes roughly every 3 to 5 seconds and can sustain about 1,500 transactions per second under normal conditions, which translates to roughly 129 million transactions per day without reaching its limits. Related Reading: XRP’s Real Value Will Arrive When Infrastructure Is Ready — Here’s Why Grape pointed out a major stress test conducted in 2021 involving Ripple and Pyypl pushing the public XRPL beyond 50,000 transactions per second while still maintaining a settlement time of 3 to 4 seconds, which amounts to approximately 4.3 billion per day. When compared to other payment and blockchain systems, the numbers are notable. Visa averages around 1,700 transactions per second, with a peak capacity of 65,000, while Ethereum processes roughly 15 to 30 transactions per second, and Bitcoin averages 7 transactions per second. Ripple CTO David Schwartz noted that the upper limits of the network are still unknown. Despite that capacity, the XRPL network is currently processing only about 1 million transactions per day, which represents less than 1% of its tested capacity. In this view, the limiting factor for XRPL is not infrastructure, but the level of real-world adoption. Featured image from Peakpx, chart from Tradingview.com
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
U.S. BTC ETFs added $458 million, suggesting institutional buyers are absorbing the weekend shock that briefly sent BTC to $63,000.
Bitcoin price opened US trading session strongly with a 3% surge above $68,000, according to CryptoSlate's data. This marked a significant difference to its first response, which looked nothing like a clean safe-haven trade following the latest Middle East tensions. When headlines hit over the weekend about US strikes on Iran, the flagship digital asset […]
The post Did Bitcoin fail its safe haven test after US strikes on Iran? BlackRock’s 60 day data hints at what comes next appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Even as crypto sentiment remains weak, JPMorgan analysts see the possible mid-year approval of U.S. market structure legislation as a positive catalyst.
Institutional capital has transformed the cryptocurrency market dynamics, changing who participates and how digital assets are traded. The arrival of spot exchange-traded funds, corporate treasury allocations, and access through major brokerage platforms has pulled Bitcoin and Ethereum deeper into traditional finance. Vanguard, for instance, reversed its long-held anti-crypto stance just a few months ago, allowing trading in funds that hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana. However, talking about bad timing, these cryptocurrencies have struggled in the months following that policy change. Challenging Months For Institutional Investors The entrance of major asset managers such as BlackRock and Fidelity Investments was a structural turning point for Bitcoin. The January 2024 launch of Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States opened the door for pension funds, registered investment advisors, and other conservative capital pools to gain exposure without directly holding Bitcoin. These ETFs have accumulated billions of dollars in inflows, with custodians now holding a meaningful share of Bitcoin’s circulating supply. Related Reading: Here’s All You Need To Know About The Bitcoin Price This Week However, the past few months have been really challenging for investors. Notably, the last month of inflows into Spot Bitcoin ETFs was in October 2025, when it was pushing to new all-time highs above $126,000. Since then, it has been months of net outflows, and this has weighed down on Bitcoin’s price action. Same goes for Spot Ethereum ETFs, which recorded consecutive months of outflows since November 2025. Vanguard clients are likely among those feeling the impact most directly. In December 2025, US-based investment management company Vanguard reversed its anti-crypto stance and started allowing trading of ETFs and mutual funds that hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana. The availability of these crypto products on a major mainstream brokerage like Vanguard was a milestone for crypto investing. Vanguard manages over $12 trillion in assets and serves tens of millions of investors. Unsurprisingly, the price action of Bitcoin and other top cryptocurrencies initially reacted positively to the Vanguard news. However, the timing coincided with a downturn across the entire crypto market, which has been having a red 2026 so far. Since Vanguard’s rollout, Bitcoin’s price has fallen by about 30%, while Ethereum, Solana, and XRP have fallen by about 40% in the same period. Is Institutional Involvement A Threat Or A Sign Of Maturity? It is clear that institutional entry has not erased the volatile nature of crypto markets. Bitcoin and Ethereum are still subject to swings in investor risk appetite, although this is now at a larger scale. Therefore, the question of whether institutions are killing Bitcoin and Ethereum is based on perspective. Related Reading: Why Investors Are Not Buying Bitcoin And Ethereum Despite ‘Low’ Prices The presence of regulated ETFs means that downturns are now absorbed by a wider set of market participants. Companies like BitMine and Strategy are still in the business of huge purchases. New investor bases like this can help sustain prices over time. However, one thing is clear: cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana are no longer fringe assets operating outside the traditional investment system; they now sit within it. This integration will even become more clear once the CLARITY Act is passed in the US. Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin’s rebound toward $70,000 over the last 24 hours has revived a familiar debate in crypto markets: whether Wall Street firms operating within the spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) ecosystem have gained too much influence over price discovery. The latest target is Jane Street, the quantitative trading firm that is both a major ETF intermediary and […]
The post Notice Bitcoin selling off at market open? Jane Street is taking the blame, but the data points elsewhere appeared first on CryptoSlate.
BlackRock, Apollo, and Citadel have acquired or agreed to acquire DeFi tokens. Here’s why and what it really signals.
BlackRock has sharpened the staking posture for its iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB), outlining a plan to keep most of the fund’s ETH staked and earning rewards rather than held in custody. In its latest amended filing, the sponsor said that under normal market circumstances, it would seek to keep 70% to 95% of […]
The post BlackRock to skim 18% of staked Ethereum ETF rewards from investors — and ETHB exits could take weeks appeared first on CryptoSlate.
A BlackRock affiliate purchased 4,000 seed shares of the fund for $100,000, providing the initial capital the trust will use to purchase ether, according to an amended S-1 filing.
Ethereum’s tokenized real-world asset market cap has topped $17 billion, up nearly 315% year over year as more TradFi giants move onchain.
Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) have extended their negative streak to a fourth consecutive week after US market weakness pushed global funds to over $170 million in weekly outflows. Related Reading: Bitcoin Should Be Flying—Instead, Quantum Risk Keeps It Grounded: Analyst Crypto Funds Outflows Extend Amid US Weakness According to the latest CoinShares data, crypto-based investment products recorded their fourth week of outflows amid the negative market sentiment of the past month. In a Monday report, James Butterfill, head of research at CoinShares, shared that global crypto funds closed the week with negative net flows totaling $173 million, bringing cumulative four-week outflows to $3.47 billion. Notably, crypto ETPs recorded over $1.7 billion in outflows each of the last two weeks of January as the market sentiment shifted, marking the largest negative net flows since November 2025. Over the past two weeks, investment products have seen outflows of $187m and $173m, respectively. The latest figures suggest that the strong selling pressure has slowed, although it has not yet reversed despite improved market sentiment. “The week began on a more positive note, with inflows of US$575m, followed by outflows of US$853m, likely driven by further price weakness. Sentiment improved slightly on Friday following weaker-than-expected CPI data, with inflows of US$105m,” he detailed. Meanwhile, ETPs’ trading activity also dropped notably, with volumes falling to $27 billion from a record $63 billion recorded the previous week. Butterfill noted that the funds also saw a sharp regional divergence in sentiment between the US and the rest of the world. Per the report, the US saw $403 million in outflows last week, while all other regions recorded $230 million in inflows. Germany, Canada, and Switzerland registered the strongest performance, with inflows worth $114.8 million, $46.3 million, and $36.8 million, respectively. Altcoins See Selective Resilience As the report noted, the two leading cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), saw the worst performance among major assets. The flagship crypto had the weakest sentiment, recording $133 million in negative net flows, fueled by BlackRock IBIT’s $235 million in outflows. However, short Bitcoin investment products also recorded outflows, totaling $15.4 million over the past two weeks, “a pattern often seen near market lows,” Butterfill added. Related Reading: Bitcoin At $8,000? Michael Saylor Says Strategy Still Won’t Break Ethereum suffered $85.1 million in outflows, led by BlackRock ETHA’s $112.7 million, while Hyperliquid saw $1 million in outflows. On the flip side, some altcoin-based investment products saw positive sentiment, continuing to attract fresh inflows last week. Crypto funds based on XRP led the charge with $33.4 million in inflows, adding to the previous week’s $63.1 million positive flows. Solana ETPs followed second with $31 million inflows, a notable increase from the $8.2 million recorded the week prior, signaling confidence in these assets despite the broader trend. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Rampant speculation on crypto derivatives platforms is fueling volatility and risking bitcoin’s image as a stable hedge, says BlackRock’s digital assets chief.
Bitcoin’s slide toward $60,000 came with the usual noise from exchanges, but the sheer size of the panic was evident somewhere else. Options tied to BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) traded about 2.33 million contracts in a single trading day, a record that arrived right as price was at its most unstable. At the same […]
The post This is what “Wall Street crypto” looks like: IBIT options went vertical as Bitcoin hit $60k intraday appeared first on CryptoSlate.
During a panel discussion at Consensus in Hong Kong, Peach pointed to massive capital pools in traditional finance as ETF adoption spreads across Asia.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Uniswap’s native token, UNI, posted a sharp gain on Wednesday after the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, announced plans to bring its Treasury‑backed digital fund, BUIDL, onto the decentralized finance (DeFi) platform. The move, which also includes BlackRock’s intention to purchase UNI tokens, fueled a strong rally in the token during the trading session. BUIDL Launch On Uniswap The development was detailed in a joint press release from Uniswap Labs and Securitize. The two companies revealed a strategic integration that will allow shares of the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) to be traded using UniswapX technology. Through the integration of UniswapX with Securitize’s infrastructure, investors will be able to access market quotes and swap BUIDL directly with whitelisted participants around the clock, every day of the year. Related Reading: Ripple Wins Key UAE Bank Partnership To Support Digital Asset Infrastructure The companies described the move as an important step in bridging traditional financial products with decentralized trading systems. Robert Mitchnick, BlackRock’s Global Head of Digital Assets, characterized the collaboration as a meaningful development in the convergence of tokenized assets and decentralized finance. He said integrating BUIDL into Uniswap represents significant progress in enabling interoperability between tokenized US dollar yield funds and stablecoins. UNI Outperforms Sluggish Crypto Market Following the announcement, Uniswap climbed to a weekly high of $4.50 earlier on Wednesday. However, the upward momentum eased later in the session, with the token pulling back to around $3.68 at the time of writing. Related Reading: Strategy Unfazed By Bitcoin Crash, Michael Saylor Vows Quarterly Purchases Even with the retracement, UNI stood out as one of the few cryptocurrencies recording gains during the day, as Bitcoin (BTC) and the broader digital asset market continued to face bearish pressure. From a technical perspective, Uniswap investors will need to watch the $3.14 level, which has served as support since Friday of last week. On the upside, the $4.70 level may act as short‑term resistance if renewed buying interest pushes prices higher in the coming days. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
BlackRock is bringing its tokenized Treasury fund BUIDL to Uniswap through Securitize, marking its first direct DeFi trading integration.
BlackRock will make shares of its $2.2 billion tokenized U.S. Treasury fund tradable on the decentralized exchange Uniswap.
On Jan.30, 2026, US spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $509.7 million in net outflows, which looks like pretty straightforward negative sentiment until you look at the individual tickers and realize a few of them stayed green. That contradiction aged fast over the next few days. Feb. 2 snapped back with $561.8 million in net inflows, then […]
The post Bitcoin ETF flow numbers are fundamentally broken and most traders are missing the specific sign of a crash appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Arthur Hayes, co‑founder of BitMEX, has pointed to hedging tied to BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) as a major driver behind the recent Bitcoin sell‑off. Related Reading: Bitcoin Edges Past Gold In Appeal, JPMorgan Says According to Hayes, dealer hedging related to IBIT and similar structured products can force large, mechanical selling when markets move against those positions. Reports note that such moves can amplify a price drop already set off by other pressures. Heavy Hedges Can Trigger Sudden Selling Pressure: Hayes Hayes argues that banks and dealers who underwrite structured notes and ETF‑linked products often hedge their exposure in the spot and derivatives markets. Those hedges can be heavy and fast. When a large product faces outflows or redemption triggers, hedges are adjusted quickly. That can translate into sudden selling pressure that pushes prices down further, especially if liquidity is thin. $BTC dump probably due to dealer hedging off the back of $IBIT structured products. I will be compiling a complete list of all issued notes by the banks to better understand trigger points that could cause rapid price rises and falls. As the game changes, u must as well. pic.twitter.com/9DF8VE9XBL — Arthur Hayes (@CryptoHayes) February 7, 2026 Market Moves And Liquidity Stress The market behaved like a room of people trying to leave at once. Prices plunged, then bounced. Reports say Bitcoin fell steeply from its recent highs before staging a partial recovery. Bitcoin has fallen to around $68,500 Saturday, down 16% in the last seven days, data from Coingecko shows. Trades and order books showed spikes in volume, which is one sign that hedging flows and quick rebalancing were at play. Some analysts say macro news and trader positioning also mattered. The truth likely sits in the overlap of these causes. Who Bears The Risk Dealers carry risk when they underwrite complex products. In certain moments, that risk is passed back into the market through hedging. That’s how, according to Hayes, a few large issuers can indirectly set off a chain reaction that affects many other holders and traders. The moves can be sudden and mechanical, not always driven by sentiment. A Watchful Washington Reports say the role of spot ETFs in crypto markets is now on regulators’ and policymakers’ radar. US President Donald Trump’s economic team has been monitoring big flows into and out of institutional vehicles, while market participants debate whether ETFs stabilize prices or add new stress points. Whatever the view, structured products now form a clear link between traditional finance and crypto volatility. Broader Takeaways This episode underlines how new financial plumbing can create new channels for contagion. Some see the presence of large, regulated players as a net positive for long‑term adoption. Others warn those same players introduce conventional market mechanics that can behave unpredictably when stretched. Reports note both perspectives are useful when piecing together why prices moved the way they did. Related Reading: Bitcoin Sell-Off May Be Done, Analyst Flags Recovery Signs Who Is Right, And What Next Hayes has laid out a theory that ties observable hedging flows to the crash. It is a compelling thread that fits many of the market signals seen in recent days. Still, other factors—macro shifts, concentrated profit‑taking, and liquidity gaps—likely played parts as well. Traders will watch flows closely, and structured product issuers will be asked hard questions. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Options trading on BlackRock's spot bitcoin ETF, IBIT, surged to a record 2.33 million contracts on Thursday as bitcoin crashed.
U.S. ETF demand remains resilient even as Black Monday fears surfaced following bitcoin’s drop below $75,000 over weekend.
BlackRock is moving deeper into the “Bitcoin as a portfolio sleeve” trade, this time by packaging the flagship digital asset's inherent volatility into distributable income. On Jan. 23, the $14 trillion asset management firm filed a registration statement for the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF. This is a fund designed to track BTC's price (via […]
The post BlackRock is cannibalizing Bitcoin gains for “income” in a move that could leave retail investors behind during rallies appeared first on CryptoSlate.
A panel of XRP-focused commentators is leaning heavily into Davos optics as evidence that BlackRock and Ripple are converging on a shared vision for tokenized finance, even as none of the participants produced direct confirmation of a formal partnership between the two firms. BlackRock, Ripple And XRP After Davos Host Versan Aljarrah opened by pointing to “BlackRock and Brad Garlinghouse at Davos,” asking guest Jake Claver what he took from their presence and the “conclusion they had over there.” Claver’s answer centered on what he said he heard from BlackRock CEO Larry Fink about settlement consolidation. “He mentioned that it would be ideal if everything was on one blockchain or at least settled back to one blockchain,” Claver said. “For Ripple to be in the room and having been in the room for years at this point, it gives me you know a lot of confidence that it is the XRPL […] I feel like BlackRock and Ripple are much more involved than people realize.” Today we’re joined by @beyond_broke to discuss BlackRock’s quiet ties with Ripple, the soft disclosures around XRP, and the future of digitization and tokenization. Excited to have everyone back together for this one.https://t.co/oMHGWqMehB pic.twitter.com/u1s7LyOAhs — Black Swan Capitalist (@VersanAljarrah) January 26, 2026 Aljarrah immediately widened the claim beyond Davos stagecraft, asserting, “it’s quite obvious at this point that Blackrock, JP Morgan, Ripple and all these major banks they have some ties to Ripple [and] XRP,” before returning to the recurring theme that Davos access itself is a filter. Later, he argued that the set of crypto-native executives allowed near institutions like the WEF and BIS was narrowing and that Garlinghouse’s inclusion mattered more than “headline hype.” Related Reading: ‘I’m Very Bullish’: Ripple CEO Forecasts Record Performance For Crypto In 2026 David (Digital Outlook) pushed the discussion toward implementation, but repeatedly brought BlackRock back into the frame as a connective thread in Ripple’s institutional strategy. “When it came out to like, okay, has Ripple really positioned themselves to be like […] the main leader in the space […] with the acquisitions that they’ve made […] custody with Palisade,” he said. “I think they got Metaco and Standard Custody in there […] clearance through Hidden Road, all that. Then […] you see all these other linkages between their partners like what they’re doing with Blackrock. You know, they’ve got some stuff going on there.” A second line of argument was that BlackRock’s eventual entry could be the trigger for an XRP liquidity event. Edo Farina framed it in “order size” terms: “It takes one huge institutional order from a Blackrock a great scale and that’s it,” he said, claiming market pricing can stay muted if institutional positioning happens through OTC arrangements. Related Reading: Ripple Builds XRP ‘Wall Street Kit’: Developer Claims ‘Billions Incoming’ Claver added: “When Blackrock steps in, there will be likely a supply shock that allows XRP to decouple from the rest of the crypto market and Bitcoin,” and tied that idea to a viral episode the panel said briefly moved XRP out of sync with the rest of crypto. “We’ve seen it decoupled once […] when […] the [fake] trust that had been filed in Delaware for Blackrock’s iShares XRP ETF […] hit Twitter,” Claver said. Still, BlackRock’s observable crypto footprint still tilts towards Ethereum and Bitcoin rather than XRP. BlackRock’s flagship US spot exposure is via products tracking bitcoin and ether, IBIT and ETHA, while its tokenization beachhead has also been Ethereum-first: BlackRock’s BUIDL fund debuted on Ethereum via Securitize in March 2024, and only later expanded to additional networks. Also, BlackRock’s own 2026 thematic outlook is explicitly naming Ethereum as the infrastructure layer that “collects the toll” as tokenization scales, with stablecoins treated as an early proxy for tokenization “in action.” BlackRock highlights data indicating “65%+” of tokenized assets sit on Ethereum, an argument for why “one blockchain” speculation often defaults to ETH in institutional circles. At press time, XRP traded at $1.88. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
SharpLink CEO Joseph Chalom argues that macro uncertainty is hiding a massive institutional shift toward Ethereum-based tokenization.
The iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF would hold bitcoin directly and generate yield from selling IBIT option premiums.
The ETF would actively manage a covered call bitcoin exposure through BlackRock's existing iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), to generate income for investors.
A growing number of chart watchers are pointing to a long stretch of sideways trading for XRP and saying this setup has come before big rallies. According to a widely followed analyst known as CryptoBull, the current price action echoes earlier runs in the token’s history. Related Reading: Crypto Meets Private Banking: UBS Weighs New Offering The signal is simple: long quiet periods sometimes lead to sharp moves when buying pressure returns. That does not mean a jump is guaranteed. Markets can stay quiet for a long time, and timing is uncertain. Pattern Mirrors Prior Cycles Based on reports, XRP’s weekly structure shows a stretch of range trading after strong breakouts from earlier years. The comparison reaches back several cycles. In past examples, long ranges eventually gave way to impulsive runs that pushed the price far above prior highs. The next impulse will take #XRP to $11 and the last wave to $70. The price pattern is copying the previous bullrun, only difference is time, which makes sense, as we need longer accumulation for higher prices. pic.twitter.com/WJxzYDVRKT — CryptoBull (@CryptoBull2020) January 23, 2026 CryptoBull argues the present consolidation has lasted longer than previous ones, which, he says, could compress price action and build fuel for a larger expansion when momentum flips. The idea rests on history repeating itself in broad strokes, not in exact moves. Longer Accumulation Could Support Bigger Targets Some analysts see a sixfold move as plausible if the same pattern plays out. That kind of rise would put XRP near $11, a figure being discussed by multiple commentators. There is also talk of a further, final wave lifting the token much higher in a later stage — talk that reaches $70 in extreme scenarios. A bottom test—where price revisits support to confirm strength before a new push—has appeared in a few past cycles and is being watched closely now. The presence of such tests can either validate a base or warn that the range has more work to do. Timelines are vague, and a long accumulation period can stretch for years before any decisive breakout. Related Reading: Money Keeps Leaving: Bitcoin ETFs Shed $1.72 Billion In Just 5 Sessions RLUSD Rumors Fuel Speculative Calls Reports that BlackRock may use Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin have added fuel to the fire. News like that has pushed sentiment upward and sparked fresh technical calls, with some forecasts ranging from $6 to $14 in near- to mid-term scenarios. Other voices go far beyond, naming targets that would imply market caps so large they would be hard to reconcile with today’s market size. These more extreme numbers should be treated with caution, because they assume near-perfect conditions and massive capital flows that may never arrive. Still, adoption whispers can tilt sentiment and speed up moves when buyers pile in. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView