Ripple's Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, Reece Merrick, has responded positively to Franklin Templeton's recent emphasis on the XRP Ledger and its native token, XRP. The $1.6 trillion asset manager highlighted XRP Ledger's capabilities in real-time, low-cost settlement and cross-border transactions, viewing XRP as a foundational asset in a diversified digital portfolio. Franklin Templeton's spotlight on XRP includes the launch of the Franklin XRP Trust (XRPZ), an exchange-traded fund on NYSE Arca, providing regulated access to XRP. Merrick's reaction, expressed through a tweet featuring partnership and rocket emojis, underscores the growing institutional interest in XRP as regulatory clarity in digital assets improves.