XRP's Bull Case: $1.3B in ETF Inflows & a Shrinking Exchange Supply
XRP has opened 2026 living in two parallel realities. On the surface, institutional demand is strengthening. Since the launch of spot XRP ETFs in late 2025, roughly $1.3 billion in cumulative inflows have entered the market, tightening circulating supply and reinforcing XRP’s role as a regulated financial instrument.
The strongest case for XRP in early 2026 is structural rather than usage-driven. ETF demand has functioned as a supply vacuum, pulling XRP off exchanges and reducing immediate sell-side liquidity.
Key figures shaping the bullish thesis include:
- •$1.3B in cumulative spot ETF inflows since November 2025
- •Binance exchange reserves down to 2.6B XRP
- •A decline from ~3.25B XRP held on exchanges in late 2025
- •Whale flows to exchanges fell from over 70% to ~60% of total inflows
This combination of ETF absorption and falling exchange balances has preceded periods of price resilience, even in the absence of strong on-chain growth.
$73M TVL & a Hollowing XRPL Economy
Against this backdrop, Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) is being evaluated through a contrasting framework, one built around predictable issuance, privacy-first infrastructure, and enforced supply discipline, factors increasingly relevant to investors assessing the best crypto to buy now.
While XRP’s market structure looks constructive, the on-chain economy of the XRP Ledger is under strain.
Key network figures highlight the divergence:
- •XRPL TVL at ~$72.8M, a fraction of rival high-throughput chains
- •Network fees averaging ~$1,000 per day, limiting economic value capture
- •XRPL DEX daily volumes near $86,000
- •Active DEX traders falling from ~27,900 to ~16,700 month-over-month
Market structure adds another layer of risk. XRP price derivatives activity has surged, with open interest near $4.5B, while spot trading volume remains closer to $3B.
200M Coins Per Day: Zero Knowledge Proof Takes a Different Approach
ZKP approaches the crypto market structure from a fundamentally different angle. Rather than relying on discretionary unlock schedules or large, one-time emissions, ZKP hard-codes its issuance into protocol rules.
At the centre of this design is a single constraint:
“200 million coins are issued per day. Fixed.”
This rule removes discretion and replaces it with predictability, shifting supply management from governance decisions to protocol logic.
ZKP’s fixed daily issuance of 200M coins is designed to address one of crypto’s most persistent risks: sudden dilution.
What this structure changes in practice:
- •No cliff unlocks, reducing abrupt sell pressure
- •No surprise emissions, improving supply transparency
- •Time-based scarcity, where access depends on timing, not insider allocation
- •Lower shock risk, compared with presales that release large tranches at once
Instead of concentrating risk around listing dates or vesting events, ZKP spreads issuance across time. Scarcity in this model is enforced by protocol rules rather than narrative framing.
Why Markets Are Eyeing ZKP?
Zero Knowledge Proof is increasingly framed around structure, predictability, and relevance, not short-term price momentum.
Key considerations include:
- •A hard-coded 200M-per-day issuance rule, limiting dilution shocks
- •Transparent, time-based price discovery, replacing launch-day volatility
- •Privacy-first infrastructure, built on zero-knowledge cryptography
- •Direct relevance to AI, compliance, and sensitive data computation
- •Distribution aligned with long-term network health, rather than early concentration
As blockchain use cases expand beyond speculative trading into regulated and data-driven environments, predictable issuance and privacy-preserving computation are becoming structural advantages.
Conclusion
XRP illustrates how institutional demand can support prices even as network usage weakens. Its 2026 outlook depends on whether enterprise initiatives and stablecoin activity can restore liquidity and activity on the XRPL itself.
Zero Knowledge Proof represents a different thesis. By enforcing 200M coins per day through protocol rules, ZKP reduces reliance on discretionary decisions and narrative-driven scarcity. As investors grow more sensitive to dilution and unlock risk, that distinction is becoming increasingly relevant when defining the best crypto to buy now.
FAQs
Why is XRP holding up despite weak XRPL usage?
ETF inflows, shrinking exchange reserves, and institutional demand are tightening supply even as on-chain activity declines.
What makes ZKP’s 200M-per-day model different?
It fixes issuance at a predictable daily rate, avoiding sudden unlocks and surprise dilution.
Which is the best crypto to buy now for supply discipline?
Projects with transparent, rule-based issuance, like Zero Knowledge Proof, are often cited in that context.
Does predictable issuance remove volatility?
No, but it can reduce shock risk compared with large, sudden supply releases.