XRP spot ETF AUM approaches the $1 billion mark, Firelight staking mechanism brings new opportunities

The US spot XRP ETF continues to attract capital, with net inflows for 12 consecutive days as of December 2, bringing total assets under management to $844.9 million—just one step away from the $1 billion AUM milestone. On December 1, inflows reached $89.65 million, followed by another $67.7 million the next day. Meanwhile, companies such as Invesco and Franklin Templeton have filed applications to launch their own XRP ETFs. In comparison, the spot Solana ETF stands at $651 million, while spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs have $57.7 billion and $12.8 billion, respectively.

In the DeFi sector, XRP is seeing new staking opportunities. The Firelight protocol, incubated by Sentora and supported by Flare, has launched staking-based on-chain insurance, providing yield options for XRP holders and filling the insurance gap for losses exceeding $1 billion annually due to exploit attacks, thus bringing real economic value to investors.

On the regulatory front, the US SEC continues to restrict high-leverage crypto ETFs. On December 2, it issued warnings to nine providers—including Direxion, ProShares, and Tidal Financial—requiring them to lower leverage ratios or withdraw their applications. Previously proposed 5x leveraged products have been strictly limited, and even 3x leverage faces regulatory hurdles.

At the market level, BTC prices have recently rebounded strongly, soaring from $84,000 to $94,000, driven by ETF inflows, $492 million in short liquidations, the Fed’s pause on quantitative tightening, and a $13.5 billion liquidity injection. However, the overall macroeconomic trend remains bearish, short-term volatility has intensified, and the rebound is more likely a liquidity-driven short-term phenomenon rather than a sustained uptrend.

Spot XRP ETF inflows, staking innovations, and regulatory developments will continue to be key focus points for crypto investors, though the market must remain cautious about short-term price volatility risks.