The XRP ETF party officially started, and Franklin Templeton showed up fashionably on time with the Franklin XRP ETF (XRPZ). The fund offers investors a regulated path to own XRP (XRP), the digital token that powers fast and affordable cross-border payments. The ETF tracks XRP's price using the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate (New York Variant), minus fees and expenses.

The timing couldn't be more crowded. Several issuers launched XRP ETFs almost simultaneously, and traders wasted no time jumping in.

Opening Bell Frenzy: Nearly $14 Million in First-Hour Action

According to data from Coinpedia, the first hour of trading across the new XRP ETF suite generated a combined $13.94 million in volume. That's one of the strongest opening stretches for any digital asset ETF cluster.

The Bitwise XRP ETF (XRP) stole the show early, racking up 195,631 shares traded for roughly $4.54 million in value.

The Canary Capital XRP ETF (XRPC), which actually launched on November 13, posted 192,638 shares worth approximately $4.26 million.

Franklin's XRPZ logged 176,191 shares, translating to about $3.00 million due to its pricing structure.

Meanwhile, the Grayscale XRP Trust ETF (GXRP), which debuted alongside XRPZ, brought up the rear with 28,045 shares, or around $1.13 million.

What Makes XRP Different?

David Mann, Franklin Templeton's Head of ETF Product & Capital Markets, positioned XRPZ as a clean, regulated gateway to a digital asset that's becoming increasingly embedded in global settlement infrastructure.

Here's the pitch: XRP operates on the XRP Ledger, an open-source blockchain launched in 2012 specifically for payments and tokenization. Unlike proof-of-work blockchains, it uses a federated consensus model that delivers near-instant settlement, minimal fees, and low energy consumption. That makes it particularly appealing for cross-border remittances and bank-to-bank transfers. XRP also tends to show relatively low correlation to traditional markets, offering diversification potential within crypto portfolios.

Roger Bayston, Franklin's Head of Digital Assets, described XRP as "a foundational building block" for diversified digital portfolios, emphasizing the ETF's regulated custody and daily transparency.

Part of a Bigger Crypto Play

XRPZ isn't Franklin Templeton's first rodeo in digital assets. The fund joins the firm's expanding U.S. crypto lineup, which already includes the Franklin Bitcoin ETF (EZBC), Franklin Ethereum ETF (EZET), and Franklin Crypto Index ETF (EZPZ). The move reinforces Franklin's push to deliver institutional-grade access to the broader crypto economy.

With multiple issuers now competing for XRP ETF market share and early trading volumes hitting the ground running, it's clear that demand for regulated crypto exposure isn't slowing down. Whether XRP becomes a portfolio staple or just another digital asset experiment remains to be seen, but the opening-day numbers suggest investors are at least willing to take a look.