As inflation rises and economic uncertainty deepens, Switzerland is facing fresh pressure to rethink its Bitcoin reserve strategy. A group of crypto advocates has launched a referendum, urging the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to add Bitcoin alongside gold to its reserves as a safeguard against global instability.
Swiss National Bank Rejects Bitcoin Reserve Push
Despite mounting calls, the SNB remains firm. In a recent meeting, SNB Chairman Martin Schlegel dismissed the idea, calling Bitcoin too volatile for Switzerland’s official reserves. Schlegel emphasized the need for assets that are highly liquid and stable in value—qualities Bitcoin, in his view, does not consistently deliver.
He also raised concerns over Bitcoin’s reliability, highlighting that, being a software-based asset, it could face technical glitches. Schlegel underlined that the SNB has no intention of incorporating crypto into its reserve strategy at this time.
Global Trends Highlight Growing Interest in Crypto Reserves
While Switzerland maintains a cautious stance on crypto regulation, other countries are beginning to explore different paths. The United States, for instance, has started building a Bitcoin reserve using coins seized from criminal investigations, a move that is sparking discussions worldwide.
Even so, many governments remain hesitant, citing extreme price volatility and operational risks. For now, Switzerland appears committed to its traditional financial framework, resisting global trends that are slowly shifting toward Bitcoin and digital assets.
The growing debate over Switzerland’s crypto regulation and Bitcoin reserve strategy suggests that pressure on the SNB may not ease anytime soon.
Never Miss a Beat in the Crypto World!
Stay ahead with breaking news, expert analysis, and real-time updates on the latest trends in Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, NFTs, and more.
Ark 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) will undergo a 3-for-1 share split, effective from June 16, in order to make funds more accessible to investors, announced 21Shares, one of the world’s largest issuers of crypto exchange traded funds (ETFs). In a statement released on Monday, 21Shares, a fin-tech giant, claimed that their recent step to split their stocks 3-for-1 will invite a “broader base of investors thereby enhancing trading efficiency. 21Shares clarified that their decision to spit their share 3-for-1, effective June 16, will not change their total net asset value (NAV) and the shares will continue trading under the ticker symbol ARKB. According to a report in Reuters, ARKB has gained almost 12% so far this year and nearly 27% quarter-to-date. It closed trading at $104.25 on Monday. 21Shares holds the largest suite of crypto ETPs and is one the leading provider of ETFs. ARKB is a physically backed Bitcoin… Read More at Coingape.com
The Wyoming Integrity PAC will champion ethical and equitable procurement practices, fostering a business-friendly environment rooted in fairness and accountability. Hoskinson’s involvement…
Welcome to the US Crypto News Morning Briefing—your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead.]
Grab a coffee as we delve into market sentiment about XRP ETFs (exchange-traded funds) in the US. As prospects for this financial instrument continue to grow, experts have weighed in on the possible impact on Ripple’s XRP token.
Crypto News of the Day: XRP ETF Inflows to Reach $8.3 Billion, Standard Chartered Predicts
There has been much chatter this week in crypto about XRP ETFs, ranging from false rumors and reports to delays in key decisions. However, one thing appears certain: the conversation is growing more than ever.
In a recent US Crypto News publication, ETF analyst Eric Balchunas indicated they have raised their odds to 85%. Based on this, analysts offer diverging outlooks on how such a product might perform.
“XRP price could rise to $12.23 or $22.20 after ETF Approval if XRP ETFs Get 15% to 30% of Bitcoin ETF Inflows,” a popular account on X shared.
BeInCrypto data shows that XRP was trading for $2.22 as of this writing, down by almost 1% in the last 24 hours.
Against this backdrop, BeInCrypto contacted Standard Chartered for a commentary. The bank’s head of digital assets research, Geoff Kendrick, said it was challenging to predict precise inflow figures.
However, he indicated that comparative data from Europe could provide some guidance.
“The amount of eventual inflows to XRP ETFs is difficult to estimate. However, Bitwise has listed ETPs in Germany for XRP, Solana, Litecoin, BTC, and ETH, which may provide an apples-for-apples comparison,” Kendrick told BeInCrypto.
Drawing on his prediction of how an XRP ETF could perform and the associated impact on XRP price, Kendrick compared Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other altcoins.
Citing Bitwise data, the Standard Chartered executive noted that altcoins garner a larger percentage of ETP (exchange-traded product) net asset value (NAV) as a percentage of coin market capitalization than Bitcoin and Ethereum.
However, he acknowledged that this could be because fewer ETPs are available for altcoins. Kendrick added that NAV-to-market-cap ratios from already approved US spot ETFs provide a useful benchmark.
Based on these assessments, Geoff Kendrick projected that a US-listed spot XRP ETF could attract as much as $8.3 billion in inflows within its first year.
“Of the US spot ETFs approved so far, NAV as a percentage of market cap is 3% for Ethereum and just under 6% for Bitcoin. At current XRP market cap, that would imply a range of $4.4 billion to $8.3 billion as a future total NAV measure for an XRP ETF, which seems like a reasonable target range for inflows in the first 12 months,” Kendrick added.
Kendrick Sees Ripple Price at $8, Bitfinex Analysts Question Investor Interest for XRP ETFs
The Standard Chartered executive said he expects XRP price gains to keep pace with Bitcoin price growth targets.
He forecasted the Ripple price to rise to $8 by 2026, contingent on spot XRP ETF approvals in the US. This would constitute a 260% surge above the current price of $2.22.
“In real terms, XRP inflation is currently 6%, versus 0.8% for Bitcoin. As such, we target the XRP-USD price levels of $5.50 at end-2025, $8.00 at end-2026, $10.40 at end-2027, $12.50 at end-2028 and $12.25 at end-2029,” Kendrick explained.
Meanwhile, analysts at Bitfinex caution against optimism, saying that investor interest in a US-based spot XRP ETF may not match that witnessed in Bitcoin ETFs.
“We expect limited inflows into an XRP ETF as some investors may choose to broaden their exposure across available crypto ETFs. However it is unlikely to see the level of flows experienced by Bitcoin,” Bitfinex analysts told BeInCrypto.
The contrasting assessments reflect broader uncertainty over how altcoin ETFs might perform in a regulated US market.
Bitcoin’s dominance and changing regulatory attitudes toward digital assets still heavily influence the crypto market in the US.
So far, Grayscale, Wisdom Tree, Bitwise, Canary, and 21Shares have filed for XRP ETF approvals with the SEC. Bitwise’s application received official acknowledgment on February 18, triggering several timelines for approving, denying, or extending the application.
The final deadline is October 12, 240 days after official receipt. This date is equivalent to the ‘final deadline’ of January 10, 2024, for BTC ETF approvals, the day they were approved.
However, with other applications beyond XRP ETF pending approval, including Solana and Litecoin, Kendrick noted that other applications in the pipeline could affect the timeline for XRP ETF approval.
“Litecoin seems most likely to progress the fastest, providing early insight into how the new SEC leadership will treat altcoin ETFs,” Kendrick said.
As a hard fork of Bitcoin, Litecoin could already be viewed by the SEC as a commodity rather than a security. According to Kendrick, its similarity to Bitcoin may make it conceptually easier for investors to understand.
“We expect a wave of cryptocurrency ETFs next year, albeit not all at once. First out is likely the BTC + ETH combo ETFs, then probably Litecoin (because it is a fork of BTC, [therefore it’s a] commodity), then HBAR (because it’s not labeled security), and then XRP/Solana (which have been labeled securities in pending lawsuits),” Balchunas stated.
