1 in 4 institutions plan XRP exposure in 2026, data shows

The share of institutional investors allocated to XRP is set to rise from 18% in January 2026 to 25% by year-end, based on a survey of 351 entities.

With surging demand for the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as of March 26, institutional allocation of its native token XRP is expected to climb by 39% in 2026, per a survey released March 18 by Coinbase Global and EY-Parthenon Institutional Investor Digital Assets.

​Despite the projected growth in XRP’s institutional adoption in the coming months, the altcoin still ranks fifth among other cryptocurrencies by planned 2026 allocation. Bitcoin (BTC) retains the top position, although planned exposure of 91% is modestly lower than its January 2026 reading of 94%.

Why are more institutional investors betting on XRP in 2026?

More institutional investors are seeking to buy XRP in the coming months due to the token’s robust fundamentals. As a large-cap asset with a market capitalization of approximately $84.2 billion at the time of publication, XRP benefits from broad exchange liquidity and the rising real-world use cases of the XRPL network.

Furthermore, the token’s recent launch of several spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States has created a regulated access point for the token. Additionally, regulatory clarity for the token has also improved significantly since President Donald Trump took office in early 2025, whereby Ripple Labs’ ongoing engagement with U.S. and international regulators has reduced legal uncertainty around XRP’s classification.

Meanwhile, the rising odds of the Clarity Act – a bill in the United States seeking to legalize the crypto industry – passing in the near future is reason for institutions to seek to capitalize on XRP via buying the rumor and selling on the news. Taken together, the data suggest institutional appetite for altcoins is broadening beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.