Ran Neuner Sticks to ’Never XRP’ Despite wXRP Bridging XRP into Solana DeFi
Crypto TV host Ran Neuner (@cryptomanran) reiterated his long-standing opposition to XRP after Hex Trust launched wrapped XRP (wXRP), which enables XRP to operate across Solana, Ethereum, Optimism and HyperEVM. wXRP is fully backed 1:1 by native XRP and built on LayerZero’s Omnichain Fungible Token standard to support cross-chain transfers without traditional bridges. The move gives XRP holders access to DeFi services on Solana and other networks (lending, liquidity pools, yield protocols). Solana Foundation product head Vibhu Norby—previously critical of XRP—acknowledged XRP’s use case and community resilience, and some investors suggested this interoperability could bridge relations between Solana and XRP supporters. Neuner dismissed such notions, reaffirming his skepticism rooted in years of criticisms about XRP’s valuation, governance and decentralization. Other industry figures, including Raoul Pal and Mike Novogratz, have recently revised more positive views on XRP following price and adoption gains. The story signals increased on-chain utility for XRP via tokenization and cross-chain standards, even as prominent critics maintain a hostile public stance. This is informational and not financial advice.
Neutral
The news mainly concerns interoperability and community narrative rather than a technical breakthrough or regulatory shift that would directly move market pricing. Launch of wXRP increases utility by unlocking DeFi access on Solana, Ethereum and other chains—an adoption-positive development that can incrementally support demand for XRP over time. However, the immediate market impact is likely muted: wrapped tokens typically trade as pegged assets and initial liquidity/momentum depends on integrations, custody flows, and user uptake. Ran Neuner’s public refusal to engage with XRP community is notable for sentiment but unlikely to materially affect price or institutional adoption. Historical parallels: tokenization/wrapping events (eg. wBTC expansion into DeFi) increased on-chain usage but did not single-handedly trigger sustained price rallies without broader catalyst (regulatory clarity, major exchange listings, or large capital inflows). Short-term traders might see localized volatility around liquidity announcements or market-making for wXRP pairs; longer-term, enhanced cross-chain utility is mildly bullish for XRP fundamentals but requires measurable uptake to influence market structure. Overall, combine this adoption-positive signal with neutral-to-mixed sentiment from influencers—hence a neutral classification.