US-based crypto exchange Coinbase filed with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to launch futures contracts for Ripple’s XRP token yesterday (Thursday).

The move could have fuelled XRP's price to surge. However, XRPUSD’s H1 chart indicates a bearish trend, with the price declining after a rejection at intraday resistance. A bearish engulfing candle suggests a continuation of the downside momentum.

Coinbase Plans Cash-Settled XRP Futures

The filing states that Coinbase intends to introduce a monthly cash-settled and margined contract, traded under the symbol XRL, with each contract representing 10,000 XRP, valued at approximately $20,000 at $2 per token. The contract is expected to go live on April 21.

Coinbase’s filing outlines that the XRP futures contract will track XRP’s price and be settled in US dollars. Trading will be paused if spot XRP prices fluctuate more than 10% in one hour.

Bitnomial First to Offer XRP Futures

While Coinbase's announcement marks a significant step, it is not the first exchange to offer XRP futures in the US. In March, Bitnomial, a Chicago-based exchange, introduced the first CFTC -regulated XRP futures. Other major exchanges, including Binance, OKX, Bybit, and BitMEX, already offer XRP futures trading.

Coinbase mentioned that it had consulted with Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs) and market participants who support the launch of this contract.

Ripple Gains Attention Amid Regulatory, Strategic, and DeFi Developments

Ripple has gained attention due to recent developments. Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of Strategy, discussed cryptocurrencies in US strategic reserves after President Trump’s executive order, which listed Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano. Saylor suggested XRP should be regulated.

Ripple's CEO Garlinghouse and CLO Alderoty met President-elect Trump on January 6, sparking speculation about the SEC’s 2020 lawsuit over XRP’s status as an unregistered security.

Ripple has expanded partnerships with Revolut and Zero Hash, aiming to compete with USDT and USDC. In Portugal, Ripple works with Unicâmbio for instant payments between Portugal and Brazil using digital assets.

In South Korea, BDACS will use Ripple Custody to secure XRP and RLUSD, while Ripple donated $100,000 in XRP for California wildfire relief. Ripple expects Japanese banks to adopt XRP Ledger by 2025 for cross-border payments.

In DeFi, Ripple collaborates with Chainlink to integrate RLUSD into Ethereum platforms. Investor interest remains strong, with whales purchasing 520 million tokens during a recent dip.