U.S. spot XRP ETFs recorded a record weekly inflow of $60.5 million for the week ending May 15, 2026, as institutional interest dramatically outpaced demand for market leaders like Bitcoin and Ethereum. This surge in fund participation coincided with the XRP Ledger hitting multi-month network activity highs, sparked by an 11% price rally that briefly pushed the asset above $1.54. Data from Santiment and SoSoValue indicates that while larger crypto funds faced significant outflows, XRP-specific products saw their strongest performance since the start of the year.
The sudden influx of capital highlights a distinct rotation by investors seeking varied opportunities in the digital asset space. While Bitcoin funds suffered $1 billion in weekly outflows and Ethereum saw $65 million leave its various products, XRP’s $60.5 million gain set a new benchmark for 2026. Within the month of May alone, inflows reached nearly $95 million, already surpassing the $81.63 million pulled in during April. This shift occurs as XRP momentum restarts amid new liquidity surge, driven by both retail FOMO and institutional positioning.
Institutional appetite is reportedly bolstered by legislative progress in Washington, specifically the advancement of the CLARITY Act. This regulatory development serves as a potential catalyst for increased demand by providing a more defined framework for digital assets. Furthermore, the diverging paths for XRP value predicted by market analysts are increasingly coming into focus as network utility metrics align with professional capital movements.
Institutional demand drives record daily and weekly inflows
The peak of the recent buying activity was highlighted on May 11, 2026, when U.S. spot XRP ETFs posted $25.8 million in daily net inflows. This represented the strongest single-day total since January 5, 2026. On that specific Monday, Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ recorded $13.6 million in net inflows, while the Bitwise XRP ETF brought in $7.6 million. Grayscale’s GXRP and other spot products also contributed to the $25.8 million daily total reported for the sector.
For the full week ending May 15, Bitwise ETF XRP recorded weekly inflows of $25.6775 million, bringing its historical total net inflow to $460 million. During the same seven-day period, Franklin Templeton ETF XRPZ saw weekly inflows of $21.0402 million, raising its historical total to $378 million. According to SoSoValue, the combined total net assets across all U.S. spot XRP ETFs currently stand at approximately $1.18 billion, a sharp recovery from the $31.16 million in outflows seen in March.
While the price recently pulled back to trade near $1.41, market sentiment remains high. Futures open interest has reached a three-month high of $2.97 billion, signaling that derivative traders are preparing for continued price action. This environment is noticeably different from earlier in the year when mid-cap tokens faced selling waves that often left XRP struggling to maintain its psychological support levels.
XRP Ledger activity reaches highest levels since March
Activity on the XRP Ledger has scaled in tandem with ETF performance, suggesting that retail engagement is rising alongside institutional buying. On-chain data from Santiment shared on May 16 showed that daily active addresses reached 48,453, the highest volume recorded since March 30. Furthermore, network growth hit 3,317 new addresses, marking the strongest expansion for the ecosystem since March 19.
Whale accumulation has reached a threshold not seen in nearly eight years, with large wallets now controlling 68.5% of the total circulating supply. As of May 14, wallets holding at least 10 million XRP tokens collectively held 45.83 billion units, valued at roughly $68.5 billion. The broadening base of holders is also evident in the fact that 332,230 XRP Ledger wallets now hold at least 10,000 tokens, a new all-time high for that tier.
These metrics suggest a hardening of the holder base as the “activated accounts” figure moves closer to the 8 million milestone. Despite the recent price correction from its $1.54 peak, the asset remains up 155.35% on a six-month trailing basis. Standard Chartered has recently forecasted additional inflows for XRP products if network activity remains elevated, positioning the token as a primary focus for the remainder of the quarter.