The ongoing legal battle between Ripple Labs and the SEC certainly adds to the hesitation for big institutions like BlackRock. As of mid-2025, there has been no clear regulatory path for XRP following a mixed ruling by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres. While she indicated that XRP's sales to retail investors do not equate to securities, institutional sales still fall under scrutiny. Recent developments suggest that a settlement may have occurred between Ripple and the SEC, aiming to clarify XRP's regulatory position. Still, BlackRock appears to be cautious in their approach.
Larry Fink, BlackRock's CEO, has shifted from previously criticizing Bitcoin to advocating for tokenization of assets. Despite this shift, he has remained silent on XRP specifically. While the termination of the SEC's litigation against Ripple could impact XRP's outlook favorably, it may not be enough for BlackRock to change its stance without established regulatory assurance and a strong client demand. Investors should consider BlackRock’s official communications rather than rumors, as any future commitment to XRP will depend on stringent regulatory prerequisites being met.