Key Highlights
- Royal Bank of Canada invested in the Bitwise XRP ETF through a recent SEC filing.
- RBC purchased 2,000 ETF shares, valued at approximately $30,000.
- The Bitwise XRP ETF offers regulated exposure to XRP, with BNY Mellon serving as custodian.
Canadian banking giant Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has disclosed a position in the Bitwise XRP ETF, adding indirect exposure to XRP through a regulated investment vehicle.
According to the bank’s latest Form 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the quarter ended on March 31, 2026, RBC purchased 2,000 shares of Bitwise XRP ETF (CUSIP: 09174F107), worth around $30,000.
Even though this investment amount is small compared to the massive portfolio of RBC, which is worth over $570 billion in terms of assets under management. This is the first time that there has been an indirect investment by the country’s biggest bank in XRP. The move also shows that traditional banks and investment firms are expanding their investments into digital assets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.
More about Bitwise XRP ETF
The Bitwise XRP ETF (NYSE Arca: XRP) is an investment vehicle, created in November 2025, to give investors access to XRP, which is the native coin for the XRP ledger. This ETF invests in real XRP coins through The Bank of New York Mellon at the cost of only a 0.34% management fee. As of mid-May 2026, the fund had a total of around $345-360 million under management.
For RBC, blockchain has been a topic of interest for quite some time now. Previously, the bank had partnered with Ripple for cross-border payments. Ripple is also known to have written articles that talk about how assets like XRP can help in reducing international settlement fees to as much as 60%. This particular 13F filing is in keeping with the bank’s wider experiments with cryptocurrencies.
Canada’s advancement in crypto
Canada is making further moves toward regulating digital assets with both innovation and enforcement.
Tetra Trust Company announced that CADD, which is a stablecoin pegged to one CAD at par, was granted official regulatory approval by the Alberta Treasury Board and Finance. Issued by CAD Digital Inc., CADD becomes the first regulated CAD stablecoin that allows Canadians to make secure transactions of Canadian dollars using blockchain technology in a highly regulated environment of financial services.
Meanwhile, the government is moving forward with more decisive measures aimed at minimizing the risks associated with cryptocurrencies. As part of its economic update for spring 2026, the government decided to outlaw cryptocurrency ATMs across the country, explaining that these machines serve as the most popular means for criminals to commit fraud.
Furthermore, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) has revoked the registrations of 23 cryptocurrency companies as a response to the risks of money laundering.
Increasing XRP ETF adoption
The move is part of a broader trend toward adoption by institutions. In light of the success of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, there has been increasing interest in XRP ETFs as well. Big financial institutions and investment management firms are now moving towards these instruments to make indirect investments without balance sheet exposure.
If other large institutions follow the path of RBC, it may result in significant capital flowing into XRP instruments, leading to an increase in prices. Nevertheless, like any other crypto investment, the level of volatility is still very high. No public statement from RBC has been made about the investment.
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