In an interview with the Paul Barron Network, Bitwise Chief Investment Officer (CIO) Matt Hougan expressed his perspective on the long-debated regulatory battle surrounding XRP and its potential market reaction once legal uncertainties are resolved. According to Hougan, the crypto asset—long restrained by litigation—may be significantly undervalued, with the potential for a sharp market correction following a favorable resolution to its legal entanglements.
Since 2020, XRP has been entangled in a legal dispute with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which accused Ripple Labs of conducting an unregistered securities offering. The lawsuit has cast a long shadow over the token, restricting its growth within the US market and leading to its delisting from several major exchanges in the past.
Now, with the lawsuit potentially reaching its final ruling by April 16, according to Barron, market participants are speculating on XRP’s future trajectory. Hougan weighed in on the matter, pointing out that a resolution could unlock significant latent demand and shift the narrative around the asset.
“From my 30,000-foot view, specific to XRP, I think there’s a significant chunk of the crypto market that has sort of written it off or forgotten about it. And I think that part of the market is wrong,” Hougan stated.
What Happens Post-Lawsuit With XRP?
One of the key takeaways from Hougan’s analysis is the idea that XRP remains an unknown variable in the broader crypto landscape. Unlike Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), which have seen major adoption and institutional inflows, XRP has remained stagnant due to regulatory overhang. If the lawsuit concludes with clarity that allows unrestricted US adoption, the real potential of XRP in global finance could finally be realized.
“The reality is, XRP has been suppressed by litigation for multiple years, and we don’t yet know what it can do on the global stage when it’s freed from those restraints,” he added. While Hougan did not make outright price predictions, he did note that institutional and retail sentiment could pivot quickly if XRP gains renewed regulatory clarity in the US.
The discussion also delved into Japan’s aggressive adoption of XRP, with SBI Holdings leading the charge in integrating the asset into its digital banking ecosystem. As noted in the interview, XRP has now surpassed Ethereum in Japanese investor holdings, signaling deep institutional confidence in its future.
Paul Barron emphasized that Japan’s approach could foreshadow broader global adoption: “SBI seems to be doing with XRP what Michael Saylor did with Bitcoin—strategically accumulating and positioning it for long-term institutional use.”
Hougan agreed, highlighting that XRP’s role in international remittances and liquidity solutions remains underappreciated, and the ongoing legal battle has hindered a more comprehensive evaluation of its utility-driven demand.
Another major topic of discussion was the possibility of an spot XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF). While Hougan did not reveal any detail about Bitwise’s ETF filing and its progress with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), he highlighted the firm’s confidence. “We don’t file for ETPs for fun. We file for them because we think they can launch, and we think there is a significant audience, and we think it’s an important asset.”
While some analysts argue that XRP’s legal troubles have already been priced in, Hougan’s comments concluded that the potential upside remains largely ignored by the broader market. If the SEC case concludes favorably, the re-listing of XRP on major US exchanges, new institutional flows, and expanded adoption in banking systems could lead to a market repricing event. “There’s no guarantee XRP will be enormously successful, but there’s equally no guarantee that it won’t be,” Hougan emphasized.
At press time, XRP traded at $2.12.
