4 Tokens on Smart Investors’ Radar as First XRP ETF Tops $100 Million

In a market still buzzing from the milestone wherein the first publicly-listed XRP ETF surpassed the $100 million mark, smart investors are sharpening their focus on emerging tokens that promise both potential upside and structural runway. Four tokens in particular have emerged as noteworthy: Little Pepe (LILPEPE), Ethena (ENA), Aster (ASTER), and Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL). Each brings a distinct narrative to the table–from meme-driven early-entry plays to infrastructure-heavy DeFi and AI protocols.

1. Little Pepe (LILPEPE)

Little Pepe has captured headlines by combining the familiar exuberance of meme token culture with a more ambitious infrastructure plan. Currently live in presale, the token is priced at approximately $0.0022 as it advances through Stage 13, and has already raised in excess of $27.3 million while selling more than 16.6 billion tokens across the campaign.  

The project describes itself as building a Layer-2 EVM-compatible “meme chain” underpinning its token, and positions LILPEPE not merely as a speculative asset but as the utility token in a broader ecosystem. For the investor willing to accept higher risk, this may represent one of those asymmetric-return opportunities: low price entry, heavy presale momentum, and the speculative excitement that can draw retail trends. If the listing delivers, early-stage gains could be meaningful.

2. Ethena (ENA) 

Ethena shifts the focus away from pure speculation and into the realm of crypto-native infrastructure. Built on Ethereum, Ethena offers a new synthetic dollar protocol branded USDe, backed not by fiat reserves but via delta-hedged crypto assets and futures contracts. 

Furthermore, Ethena’s governance token ENA has gained momentum: the token was recently part of a buy-back strategy ($260 million) conducted by a SPAC-backed treasury company tied to the Ethena Foundation. With circulating supply and tokenomics clearly defined, and a genuine use case in dollar-comparable synthetic assets, ENA offers a more “infrastructure-oriented” play in the DeFi ecosystem. According to recent reporting, its market capitalization nears $3 billion and is actively garnering institutional interest. For those seeking exposure to emerging stablecoin infrastructure rather than pure hype, Ethena presents a compelling narrative.

3. Aster (ASTER) 

Aster has flown into the limelight by turning to derivatives and high-leverage trading. Aster has recently experienced a boom, which is difficult to deny thanks to its next-gen multi-chain decentralized exchange (DEX), which supports spot and perpetual trading with 1000x leverage. The support of crypto heavyweight personalities (such as Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance) has strengthened its position even more. Naturally, high leverage and blazing growth are accompanied by increased risk: volatility, regulatory scrutiny, and hype vs execution are actual. However, the trend of Aster is intriguing to the investor who can afford to take a high-beta token.

4. Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)

Shifting into AI, metaverse, and Web3 convergence, Virtuals Protocol targets the frontier of tokenised autonomous agents. The project’s native token, VIRTUAL, functions as the backbone of a platform where AI agents are created, deployed, and monetized via blockchain infrastructure. It is built to operate on Layer-2 networks (such as Base) and appeals to those who believe the next crypto wave lies in Web3  and AI hybrids. 

Price and activity metrics show notable traction: a circulating supply of 655 million tokens, a market cap hovering near $1 billion, and large trading volumes reinforcing interest. For smart investors, Virtuals Protocol offers a narrative of structural innovation rather than pure speculative swing.

Why These Tokens?

The backdrop matters. With the XRP ETF crossing the $100 million mark, investor attention is shifting back to “what’s next” in crypto rather than purely “if crypto works.” The sense of a burgeoning next cycle is present. In such an environment, tokens that combine strong narratives, either built-in utility or explosive momentum, merit attentive allocation. 

When a large yardstick such as the XRP ETF attains a sizeable scale, it shows that institutions and retail have put their trust into the asset, usually clearing the path to the next level tokens. That being the case, intelligent investors are prudent to be at the forefront of the curve.

Conclusion

These four tokens stand on the radar for astute investors: Little Pepe for asymmetric early-entry potential, Ethena for synthetic-dollar infrastructure, Aster for leveraged DeFi growth, and Virtuals Protocol for the Web3/AI frontier. If crypto’s next leg upward is indeed beginning, the time to position may be now.

For more information about Little Pepe (LILPEPE) visit the links below:

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