Roger Bayston, who leads digital assets efforts at Franklin Templeton, said in a recent interview that large institutions may start accumulating XRP only after blockchain networks become useful inside actual business operations. The comments, later highlighted on X by analyst Diana, put the focus back on utility rather than short-term market trading.
Bayston ties XRP demand to practical blockchain adoption inside firms
In his interview with Paul Barron, Bayston said many institutions still do not fully understand where distributed ledger technology fits within their operating models. The issue, in his view, is not awareness alone. It is the lack of direct use. Businesses built around information flows and record management can benefit from systems that improve efficiency and data handling, yet those tools remain lightly used in many organizations.
His argument is straightforward: once companies begin using blockchain networks to solve internal problems, they are more likely to recognize the value of the network and the asset connected to it. At that stage, XRP may be assessed less as a speculative instrument and more as an asset linked to utility.
Ownership becomes more relevant when the network is part of operations
Bayston said adoption is likely to develop in stages. A company may first use blockchain infrastructure to address a specific operational issue, then discover broader gains in efficiency and workflow management. That process can change how institutions evaluate XRP. Instead of treating it only as a tradable token, they may begin to view it as part of a functioning network.
He also pointed to a more important threshold: dependence on the network itself. If an organization relies on blockchain infrastructure to manage records or execute transactions, the associated asset can take on greater relevance. For institutions, that practical connection could matter more than market narratives.
Franklin Templeton’s own work suggests the shift may be gradual
The article notes that Franklin Templeton has explored distributed ledger technology in its securities business as a way to improve processes. Through that work, the firm said it identified broader use cases across industries that depend on efficient information systems.
Bayston did not describe an immediate wave of buying. His view was more measured. Institutions usually want visible proof of efficiency gains before allocating capital, and that means demand would likely build over time rather than appear all at once. In that framework, XRP’s long-term appeal depends on whether it is embedded in systems that businesses actively use.