Ripple’s Big Win? Former BlackRock Exec Highlights XRP ETF Crossing $1Billion
Former BlackRock vice president John Gillen discussed systemic stress, investor psychology, and XRP ETF flows.
Quick overview
- Former BlackRock vice president John Gillen discussed systemic stress and investor psychology in relation to cryptocurrency markets.
- Despite a lack of price rally, there is strong ETF performance and ongoing demand for products like XRP and Solana ETFs.
- Gillen emphasized that high trading volumes indicate sustained institutional interest, countering the notion that major digital assets are irrelevant.
- He warned of building pressure in macro conditions but refrained from predicting when a significant market shift might occur.
Live XRP/USD Chart
Former BlackRock vice president John Gillen discussed systemic stress, investor psychology, and XRP ETF flows.

Many market participants have become impatient after months of waiting for a clear rally, despite strong ETF performance. Although the price action hasn’t yet reflected it institutional sentiment might be shifting. Gillen highlighted the fatigue visible throughout the market in the video.
He remarked, “It exhausts a lot of people.” He also mentioned the ongoing demand for products traded on cryptocurrency exchanges. “There’s an XRP ETF that I think has done over a billion dollars of volume,” he said, noting “strong inflows into the Solana ETFs.”
At that level, volume indicates participation rather than desertion. Gillen provided a clear assessment to support that view. He stated, “There is still a market for these things.”
He disagreed with the idea that major digital assets are no longer relevant, emphasizing the difference between low pricing and high ETF activity.
The $1 billion trading volume shows that institutions remain interested in XRP, supporting Gillen’s comments. He didn’t criticize XRP directly but used it as an example of sustained participation despite low enthusiasm. Gillen also connected macro conditions to his outlook. His thesis, he said, has “always been that eventually something is gonna break in the system.”
He mentioned the unpredictability of the housing and private credit markets. He stressed that pressure is still building, but did not predict the exact timing. Although XRP hasn’t seen a major pump, volume and interest continue, and the journey is far from over.
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