Major Changes: Will BlackRock Launch a Spot XRP ETF in 2026? (AI Predicts)

Back in November last year, I wrote an article on what ChatGPT thinks about BlackRock launching a spot XRP ETF.

In it, the model argued that, although there was no current confirmation at the time, companies like BlackRock are increasingly showing interest in various digital assets.

So, what changed?

Spot XRP ETF Outlook in 2026

Spot XRP ETFs launched officially on November 13th, with the first one called XRPC by Canary Capital. Since then, four more companies have followed suit, and their current assets under management (as of January 9th) are:

• Canary Capital (XRPC) – trades on NASDAQ, AUM at $375M
• Bitwise (XRP) – trades on NYSE, AUM at $300MM
• Franklin Templeton (XRPZ) – trades on NYSE, AUM at $279M
• Grayscale (GXRP) – trades on NYSE, AUM at $271M
• 21 Shares (TOXR) – trades on CBOE, AUM at $246M

That makes for a combined total assets under management of around $1.5 billion, showcasing clear demand for the product.

Moreover, data from SoSoValue shows that assets under management were almost constantly increasing until January 5th. There’s been a drop in net AUM of around $150 million since.

For reference, spot ETH ETFs, although much larger in absolute value, have been bleeding assets since October 2025. So, would BlackRock, given the current environment in the crypto industry, be more inclined to consider launching a spot XRP ETF?

Gemini Says the Likelihood is There

According to Google’s Gemini, there is a moderate to high likelihood that BlackRock will launch a spot XRP ETF later in 2026. The reason? Fear of missing out.

Gemini argues that, unlike previous years, the path for crypto is now clear.

“The regulatory blockers that previously kept conservative giants like BlackRock on the sidelines have largely been removed.”

The AI indicates that major competitors have already attracted over a billion in inflows, demonstrating that institutional demand is present.

Moreover, back in August, the long-running legal battle between Ripple and the US Securities and Exchange Commission effectively ended, clarifying that XRP is not a security when sold on secondary markets.

Moreover, ChatGPT itself also assigned a moderate chance of up to 50% for BlackRock to eventually launch a spot XRP ETF later in 2026.

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