XRP Outshines Bitcoin And Ethereum

$XRP is drawing institutional capital at a pace that is leaving $BTC and $ETH in the shade. Investment products tied to XRP recorded $67.6 million in weekly net inflows for the week ending May 18, a 70% jump from the prior week, according to CoinShares. The figure made XRP the standout performer in an otherwise bruising week for digital asset funds.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Bear the Brunt

The broader market told a very different story. Global digital asset investment products posted $1.07 billion in net outflows last week, snapping a six-week positive run and logging the third-largest weekly redemption of 2026, as renewed geopolitical risk tied to Iran saw institutional investors cut exposure. Bitcoin investment products accounted for $982 million of those withdrawals, while Ethereum products followed with $249 million in outflows, marking Ethereum's biggest weekly decline since late January. CoinShares head of research James Butterfill said the move "likely reflects renewed geopolitical risk-off" tied to Iran-related developments, with fears around disruption to the Strait of Hormuz stoking concerns over more persistent inflation in the United States.

XRP Captures the Rotation

Almost all of the $67.6 million in weekly net inflows into XRP originated from U.S.-based spot XRP ETFs, which attracted $60.5 million in new investments. In Europe and other regions, inflows to XRP products totaled $7.1 million, marking the largest weekly inflow for XRP since the start of 2026.

Butterfill also noted that ongoing progress around the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act in the U.S. Senate Banking Committee helped cushion broader selling pressure and contributed to a more positive regulatory outlook for crypto markets. CoinShares data showed 11 individual digital assets still recorded meaningful inflows during the week, suggesting investors were rotating selectively rather than exiting the asset class outright.

Alongside XRP, Solana products attracted $55.1 million in net inflows, with smaller but notable flows into Toncoin, Sui, Ondo, Chainlink, and Dogecoin. Total assets under management across digital asset investment products fell to $157 billion from $159 billion the prior week.

Sources
CoinShares: Digital Asset Fund Flows, May 18 2026
AMBCrypto: Bitcoin sees $982M outflows as investors rotate into XRP and Solana