After nearly five years of legal wrangling, Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have officially ended their courtroom standoff – a dispute that has shaped the crypto regulatory landscape since 2020.
In a joint filing with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, both parties agreed to withdraw their appeals. Each side will cover its own legal expenses, bringing one of the industry’s most closely followed cases to a definitive close.
A Case That Defined the Regulatory Debate
At the heart of the litigation was a pivotal question: should Ripple’s XRP token be classified as a security? The SEC’s accusations placed Ripple’s operations under intense scrutiny, with ripple effects (pun unintended) across the blockchain industry. Investors, innovators, and global regulators monitored the proceedings closely, knowing the verdict could set a precedent for how digital assets are treated under U.S. law.
Market Breathes a Sigh of Relief
The resolution comes without a final appellate ruling, leaving some legal interpretations unresolved. However, the market response was swift — XRP surged 11% in the past 24 hours, hitting $3.131. Traders see the settlement as removing a significant cloud of uncertainty, potentially unlocking new partnerships and adoption for Ripple’s cross-border payment network.
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What’s Next for XRP?
With the legal overhang lifted, analysts are now shifting their focus to whether XRP can build on this momentum. Some believe the token could target previous all-time highs if adoption accelerates and broader market conditions remain supportive. While the lack of a final judicial precedent means certain questions linger, the sentiment right now is firmly tilted toward optimism.
Kosta Gushterov
Kosta has been working in the crypto industry for over 4 years. He strives to present different perspectives on a given topic and enjoys the sector for its transparency and dynamism. In his work, he focuses on balanced coverage of events and developments in the crypto space, providing information to his readers from a neutral perspective.
