Franklin Templeton’s XRP and Ledger Endorsement Draws Praise from Ripple Leadership

Major financial players are finally waking up to what crypto natives have known for years.

The Institutional Nod

Franklin Templeton—a trillion-dollar asset manager—just gave XRP and its underlying ledger a prominent spotlight in its latest market analysis. This isn't some niche crypto fund; it's traditional finance putting its stamp on specific blockchain infrastructure. The move signals a shift from vague 'digital asset' interest to targeted, technology-specific validation.

Why This Matters

When legacy institutions name-check specific cryptocurrencies and their ledgers, it cuts through the noise. It bypasses the generic 'blockchain good' narrative and zeroes in on utility and settlement efficiency. For Ripple, it's external validation from a firm that manages more money than the GDP of most countries—a powerful counter to regulatory static.

The Ripple executive's public applause wasn't just corporate politeness. It was a strategic highlight of institutional credibility at a time when the market craves it. Let's be real—in traditional finance, a nod from Franklin Templeton carries more weight than a thousand anonymous crypto Twitter threads. Even if their own funds are still probably mostly tied up in fee-heavy, legacy structures—some habits die hard.

The bottom line? The walls between TradFi and crypto aren't just crumbling; they're being deliberately dismantled by the very institutions that built them. The race isn't about who has the most buzz anymore. It's about who can actually handle the volume when the old money finally decides to move.

TLDR

• Ripple’s Reece Merrick responds to Franklin Templeton’s XRP and XRPL focus.
• Franklin Templeton launches XRPZ ETF on NYSE Arca in November.
• XRP is seen by Franklin Templeton as key to a diversified digital portfolio.
• Franklin Templeton collaborates with Ripple and DBS Bank for XRPL-based services.

Franklin Templeton, a global investment management firm with over $1.6 trillion in assets, shared its position on XRP and its ledger. In a tweet, the firm’s Head of Digital Assets, Roger Bayston, described the XRP Ledger as a “payments-first blockchain” that enables real-time, low-cost settlement and efficient cross-border transactions.

Bayston added that XRP, the native token of the XRP Ledger, holds foundational value in a diversified digital asset portfolio due to its market presence. The public mention puts XRP in focus among other leading crypto assets as institutional players enter the regulated crypto space.

Ripple Executive Reece Merrick Reacts to XRP Mention

The public acknowledgment by Franklin Templeton caught the attention of Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa. Merrick responded to the firm’s post with a tweet using emojis that signified partnership and growth, tagging both Ripple and Franklin Templeton.

Merrick’s response was widely noted within the crypto community, as it signaled support for the ongoing collaboration between the two companies. The reaction comes amid growing interest from institutional investors in regulated access to digital assets.

XRPZ ETF Launched on NYSE Arca

Franklin Templeton recently launched the Franklin XRP Trust (XRPZ), a spot XRP exchange-traded fund. The ETF began trading on NYSE Arca in November. It provides investors with exposure to xrp price movements through a regulated product.

With this move, Franklin Templeton joins other firms such as Bitwise, Grayscale, 21Shares, and Canary Capital in offering XRP-related investment products. The launch comes at a time when investor interest in crypto ETFs is growing, especially for digital assets with improved regulatory clarity.

Institutional Collaboration Between Ripple and Franklin Templeton

Franklin Templeton’s involvement with Ripple includes more than public support and the XRPZ ETF. The firm is also part of a collaboration involving DBS Bank, aimed at delivering tokenized trading and lending solutions through the XRP Ledger.

This project focuses on using the XRPL’s capabilities to support the development of blockchain-based financial services. By participating in such partnerships, Franklin Templeton continues to expand its digital asset footprint and engage with blockchain infrastructure providers.

The collaborations reinforce the role of blockchain in institutional finance and highlight XRP’s evolving use cases beyond simple transactions. As more asset managers enter the sector, attention on XRPL technology and its applications may continue to grow.