Pascal St-Jean, CEO of Canadian asset manager 3iQ Digital Asset Management, has revealed a significant advantage of their newly launched 3iQ XRP ETF (XRPQ).
St-Jean said their XRP ETF gives investors access to XRP at global rates that retail buyers can’t match. In an interview with pro-XRP YouTuber Crypto Eri, St-Jean explained that the firm sources XRP through a global network of liquidity providers.
It secures pricing and execution that no retail buyer could match. These purchases are then held in cold storage and closely tracked through a physically backed ETF structure.
Physically Backed XRP, Global Pricing Advantage
Notably, St-Jean stated that 3iQ’s process starts when ETF investors submit cash, which is then used to call liquidity providers worldwide. The firm negotiates XRP acquisitions at the lowest possible cost, benefiting from institutional-grade access.
“No retail advisor or investor could ever buy XRP at the price that we’re getting it globally,” he said, referring to their exclusive trade routes and bulk execution strategy.
The XRP acquired then goes into cold storage, allowing XRPQ to track the spot price of XRP with precision. This offers investors secure and direct exposure to the asset.
"…No retail investor could ever buy #XRP at the price we are getting it globally."
– Pascal St-Jean
3iQ President and CEO
👉With the @3iq_corp SPOT ETF, you get one of the best in the world at tracking the price of XRP while holding the spot asset.
💯Physically Backed Matters… pic.twitter.com/mGtsthFy0q— 🌸Crypto Eri ~ Carpe Diem (@sentosumosaba) June 24, 2025
XRPQ Outshines Rival ETF in First Days of Trading
Notably, the ETF launched on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on June 18 with a 0% management fee for the first six months. It quickly gained momentum, pulling in $23.21 million within its first three trading days.
This makes XRPQ Canada’s largest XRP ETF, surpassing Purpose Investments’ XRPP, which debuted on the same day but only gathered $10.7 million in assets.
Zero Fees as “Community Thank-you”
During the interview, St-Jean emphasized 3iQ’s mission of offering affordable and regulated access to digital assets. He noted that the 0% fee for the first six months is both a community thank-you gift and a strategy to attract participation.
He said that XRPQ will remain the most cost-efficient XRP ETF on the market even after the fee period ends.
Ripple-Backed
To boost confidence, Ripple itself invested in XRPQ, though the amount remains undisclosed. The ETF only sources XRP from regulated platforms and OTC desks, aiming for long-term holdings and security.
XRPQ is accessible to Canadian investors via their registered brokerage accounts. For international institutions, the ETF is also available on TSX, pending compliance with local regulations.
When U.S. XRP Spot ETF?
While spot XRP ETFs are now thriving in Canada, market participants continue to look out for when the U.S. securities regulator will approve a similar product. Notably, spot XRP ETFs are still undergoing the U.S. SEC review, but their futures equivalents have launched in recent months and are attracting significant investments. The SEC decision for the spot products could come in October 2025.
Meanwhile, Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal has renewed calls for clear U.S. crypto regulations following Canada’s launch of two spot XRP ETFs.
In a tweet, Grewal criticized the U.S. for lagging behind countries like Canada, which previously beat the U.S. to market with a Bitcoin spot ETF in 2021, nearly three years before the U.S. approved its own.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
