Key Takeaways
- • XRP emerged as the most asked-about cryptocurrency among financial advisers, with Bitwise research analysts noting XRP topped questions during presentations to approximately 400 wealth managers, signaling institutional shift away from Bitcoin-focused conversations.
- • Bitwise's XRP ETF has surpassed $500 million in assets under management, demonstrating substantial institutional demand for XRP as a payments-focused crypto asset and validating broader adoption trends in the adviser community.
- • 56% of financial advisers increased crypto allocation likelihood in 2025 following the U.S. election, with crypto allocations doubling year-over-year to 22% of advisers making allocations to client accounts—an all-time high for the Bitwise/VettaFi survey.
- • Stablecoins and tokenization displaced Bitcoin as primary adviser focus, reflecting a fundamental reorientation in institutional crypto preferences toward infrastructure and utility-based assets rather than store-of-value narratives.
- • Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley projects XRP ETFs could access $100 trillion in institutional capital, positioning XRP tokenization demand as a significant growth vector for alternative asset managers seeking crypto exposure beyond traditional Bitcoin-Ethereum frameworks.
Summary
Bitwise Asset Management's latest research reveals a dramatic institutional reorientation toward XRP, with the asset emerging as the most frequently discussed cryptocurrency in wealth manager meetings during 2025. According to Bitwise research analysts, XRP topped client inquiries during presentations to approximately 400 wealth managers, marking a significant departure from the Bitcoin-centric dialogue that dominated financial adviser conversations in prior years. This shift reflects broader institutional appetite for payments-focused and tokenization-enabled crypto assets rather than digital store-of-value narratives.
The strength of institutional demand is evidenced by Bitwise's XRP ETF crossing the $500 million assets-under-management threshold since its November 2024 launch, alongside broader signals of multiple XRP ETF products appearing on DTCC listings. This capital accumulation underscores genuine adviser demand rather than speculative positioning. The timing coincides with the Bitwise/VettaFi 2025 Benchmark Survey, conducted from November 14 to December 20, 2024, which documented a fundamental shift in financial adviser attitudes toward crypto following the 2024 U.S. election.
Survey results from 400+ advisers revealed material expansion in institutional crypto adoption: 56% of advisers reported increased likelihood of crypto allocation in 2025 due to election outcomes, while crypto allocations to client accounts doubled year-over-year to 22%—an all-time high. Critically, 99% of advisers already holding crypto allocations plan to maintain or increase exposure in 2025, indicating conviction rather than tactical positioning. Client demand remains robust, with 96% of advisers receiving crypto-related questions from clients in 2024.
The adviser community's pivot from Bitcoin reflects Bitwise CIO commentary that Bitcoin "no longer excites" wealth managers, while stablecoins and tokenization infrastructure now represent the primary areas of institutional interest. This preference alignment explains XRP's emergence as the dominant conversation topic—the asset is positioned as a bridge infrastructure play for cross-border payments and tokenized asset settlement. Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley has publicly stated that approved XRP ETFs could theoretically access $100 trillion in institutional capital seeking exposure to tokenization and payments rails, substantially exceeding current ETF inflows.
The institutional momentum behind XRP reflects both technical adoption narratives and regulatory clarity advantages. With U.S. spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs approved and operational throughout 2024, adviser communities are now evaluating next-generation crypto asset class exposure, with XRP's utility-focused positioning and established institutional partnerships appealing to wealth managers seeking differentiated crypto allocation theses beyond commodity-like Bitcoin positioning.
The strength of institutional demand is evidenced by Bitwise's XRP ETF crossing the $500 million assets-under-management threshold since its November 2024 launch, alongside broader signals of multiple XRP ETF products appearing on DTCC listings. This capital accumulation underscores genuine adviser demand rather than speculative positioning. The timing coincides with the Bitwise/VettaFi 2025 Benchmark Survey, conducted from November 14 to December 20, 2024, which documented a fundamental shift in financial adviser attitudes toward crypto following the 2024 U.S. election.
Survey results from 400+ advisers revealed material expansion in institutional crypto adoption: 56% of advisers reported increased likelihood of crypto allocation in 2025 due to election outcomes, while crypto allocations to client accounts doubled year-over-year to 22%—an all-time high. Critically, 99% of advisers already holding crypto allocations plan to maintain or increase exposure in 2025, indicating conviction rather than tactical positioning. Client demand remains robust, with 96% of advisers receiving crypto-related questions from clients in 2024.
The adviser community's pivot from Bitcoin reflects Bitwise CIO commentary that Bitcoin "no longer excites" wealth managers, while stablecoins and tokenization infrastructure now represent the primary areas of institutional interest. This preference alignment explains XRP's emergence as the dominant conversation topic—the asset is positioned as a bridge infrastructure play for cross-border payments and tokenized asset settlement. Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley has publicly stated that approved XRP ETFs could theoretically access $100 trillion in institutional capital seeking exposure to tokenization and payments rails, substantially exceeding current ETF inflows.
The institutional momentum behind XRP reflects both technical adoption narratives and regulatory clarity advantages. With U.S. spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs approved and operational throughout 2024, adviser communities are now evaluating next-generation crypto asset class exposure, with XRP's utility-focused positioning and established institutional partnerships appealing to wealth managers seeking differentiated crypto allocation theses beyond commodity-like Bitcoin positioning.
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