Crypto fund manager Grayscale is launching an XRP trust that could pave the way for a spot XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the U.S.

The closed-end fund will offer accredited investors direct exposure to XRP (XRP). Grayscale previously offered an XRP Trust but dissolved it in 2021 following the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s 2020 lawsuit against Ripple Labs that alleged the XRP token is a security under federal securities law.

Ripple has since emerged victorious in a widely-followed court case against the SEC, clearing the regulatory headwinds for the closely related XRP token.

“We believe Grayscale XRP Trust gives investors exposure to a protocol with an important real-world use case,” said Grayscale’s Head of Product & Research, Rayhaneh Sharif-Askary in a press release. "By facilitating cross-border payments that take just seconds to complete, XRP can potentially transform the legacy financial infrastructure."

The Trust functions like Grayscale’s other single-asset investment trusts, and is solely invested in the token underpinning the XRP Ledger.

XRP spiked 8% on the news.

Edited by Stephen Alpher.