Can These XRP Rivals Overshoot and 10X As Ripple Lawsuit Nears Conclusion?

Coinbase, the largest US-based crypto exchange, received regulatory approval from the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) to launch XRP futures contracts through its derivatives arm.

This development marks a pivotal moment for institutional access to XRP altcoin, amid a broader derivatives market shakeup.

XRP Futures Now Live on Coinbase

Earlier in the month, Coinbase revealed its intention to bring regulated XRP futures to market, showing that it had filed for the offering with the CFTC. BeInCrypto reported that the US-based exchange filed to self-certify the product.

“We’re excited to announce that Coinbase Derivatives has filed with the CFTC to self-certify XRP futures—bringing a regulated, capital-efficient way to gain exposure to one of the most liquid digital assets,” read the announcement.

The firm anticipated the contract going live on April 21. During the late hours of the US session on Monday, Coinbase confirmed in a follow-up post that the product was live.

“Coinbase Derivatives, LLC now offers CFTC-regulated futures for XRP,” the exchange stated.

This approval suggests a fast-track endorsement by the CFTC, potentially opening the door to broader crypto derivatives activity in the US.

It is unsurprising that the agency has recently pivoted toward easing entry into the crypto derivatives sector. As BeInCrypto reported earlier this month, the CFTC rolled back several regulatory hurdles that had previously deterred traditional and crypto-native firms.

“As stated in today’s withdrawal letter, DCR [Division of Clearing and Risk] determined to withdraw the advisory to ensure that it does not suggest that its regulatory treatment of digital asset derivatives will vary from its treatment of other products,” the CFTC explained.

The changes simplify registration requirements and lower operational barriers for launching crypto derivatives products.

XRP Network Activity Soars 67.5%

With XRP historically maintaining high liquidity and a global user base, it represents a strong candidate for derivatives trading, especially in a newly liberalized environment.

Unlike more volatile mid-cap tokens, XRP benefits from a combination of legal clarity following the Ripple lawsuit outcome, broad exchange availability, and a sizable market cap. These elements make it attractive to institutional traders seeking capital-efficient exposure.

Recent on-chain data reveals a sharp uptick in network activity, further bolstering the case for XRP futures. Data shows XRP active addresses surged by 67.5% between April 19 and 20, ahead of Coinbase Derivatives’ XRP futures debut, climbing from 27,352 to 40,366.

The spike suggests growing engagement from retail and institutional participants, possibly in anticipation of expanded market access through derivatives.

Still, market sentiment around XRP remains mixed. Despite the regulatory milestone, XRP’s spot price has declined 1.26% in the past 24 hours, reflecting broader market consolidation and investor caution.

This suggests that while futures listings can enhance liquidity and price discovery over time, short-term price action often diverges from structural developments.

Coinbase’s move aligns with its broader strategy to position itself as a regulated gateway to crypto derivatives in the US. With the futures of Ethereum and Bitcoin already live, XRP has joined the lineup. This signals Coinbase’s confidence in XRP’s long-term viability despite lingering skepticism in parts of the US regulatory arena.

The post Coinbase Launches CFTC-Regulated XRP Futures Contracts appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Ethereum is set to undergo its highly anticipated Pectra upgrade tomorrow, and on-chain data suggests that validators are preparing to weather any market volatility.

Despite ETH’s lackluster price performance over the past week, the drop in validator exit points to a sense of confidence among network participants.

Ethereum Validators Hold Firm Ahead of Pectra

According to Glassnode, Ethereum’s validator voluntary exit count has declined noticeably since May 1, signaling a drop in the number of validators choosing to leave the network. On May 5, only 238 validators exited the network — the lowest daily count of validator exits from Ethereum since April 5.

This trend indicates that more validators are opting to stay put rather than liquidate their staked ETH, a sign of long-term confidence in the network and its coin.

With fewer exits, Ethereum validators appear optimistic about the network’s near-term outlook and the potential impact of the Pectra upgrade. Such sentiment, if sustained, could help lay the foundation for a post-upgrade ETH rally.

Moreover, the coin’s persistently positive funding rate reinforces the bullish sentiment surrounding ETH. At press time, ETH’s funding rate is 0.0027%, indicating that traders are still willing to pay a premium to maintain long positions.

A positive funding rate suggests bullish sentiment dominates the futures market, as long-position holders pay short sellers to keep their trades open. This dynamic reflects traders’ expectations of upward price movement.

Despite ETH’s continued struggle to break decisively above the $2,000 level, futures traders remain optimistic, consistently placing leveraged bets in anticipation of a price surge.

Bullish Setup Meets “Sell-the-News” Fears

As the countdown to Pectra ticks down, the fall in validator exit from Ethereum could tighten ETH’s circulating supply, contributing to a bullish breakout post-upgrade. If bullish sentiment persists, ETH’s price could rally to $2,027.

However, the risk of a “sell-the-news” event remains. 

If the upgrade fails to meet market expectations or triggers profit-taking, ETH could experience downside pressure despite the optimistic signals from validator behavior. In this scenario, its price could fall to $1,744.

The post Ethereum Validators Stay Put Ahead of Pectra Upgrade — What This Means for ETH Price appeared first on BeInCrypto.