XRP News Today: Ripple and SEC End Legal Battle XRP Surges 14% as Appeals Dismissed

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ripple Labs have officially concluded their nearly five-year legal battle over the XRP cryptocurrency. On August 7, 2025, both parties filed a joint motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to dismiss their respective appeals, bringing a definitive end to the high-profile case [1]. The settlement follows a 2023 ruling by Judge Analisa Torres in New York, who determined that XRP sales on public exchanges were not securities, while institutional sales were. Ripple agreed to pay a $125 million fine, far less than the $2 billion initially demanded by the SEC [2].

The case began in late 2020 when the SEC sued Ripple, alleging that the company violated securities laws by selling XRP as an unregistered asset. Ripple contested the claim, and both sides pursued appeals following the mixed ruling in 2023. In April 2025, the SEC and Ripple filed a joint motion to pause the appeals, signaling a shift toward resolution. By July, a tentative agreement was reached, and the formal dismissal of appeals was filed on August 7 [3].

Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, Stuart Alderoty, confirmed the outcome on X, stating that both parties would bear their own legal costs and fees. “The end… and now back to business,” he wrote, emphasizing the company’s return to operational focus [4].

The SEC’s decision to drop its appeal is consistent with a broader regulatory approach under the current administration, which has shown a more lenient stance on crypto enforcement in recent months. The agency has also withdrawn other high-profile lawsuits against crypto firms, signaling a strategic shift in enforcement priorities [5].

The legal resolution has had a tangible effect on XRP’s market performance. The token surged nearly 99% from a low of $1.79 on April 9, 2025, to a peak of $3.56 on July 22. As of late July, XRP traded at $3.31, up 10.6% in the past 24 hours. On the day the appeals were dismissed, XRP rose by over 14%—one of the most significant price movements since the lawsuit began [6].

While the case marks a legal milestone, it does not provide a clear precedent for how other crypto tokens should be classified under U.S. securities law. Ripple remains designated as a “bad actor,” and key regulatory uncertainties remain unresolved. The settlement does not address broader questions about the legal framework for digital assets, leaving room for further industry and regulatory debate [7].

Industry observers have highlighted the case as one of the most significant legal battles in the history of cryptocurrency. With the appeals withdrawn, attention now turns to how the SEC will approach future enforcement actions and how the industry will adapt to the evolving regulatory landscape [8].

Source:

[1] Yahoo. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sec-ripple-end-appeals-closing-235853898.html

[2] Brave New Coin. https://bravenewcoin.com/insights/ripple%E2%80%91sec-lawsuit-news-xrp-case-officially-ends-as-sec-walks-away-from-enforcement-action

[3] CoinDesk. https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/08/07/sec-s-long-running-case-against-ripple-officially-over

[4] Cointelegraph. https://cointelegraph.com/news/sec-ripple-drop-appeals-enforcement-action

[6] CoinCentral. https://coincentral.com/xrp-xrp-price-surges-14-as-long-sec-battle-finally-ends/

[8] BitDegree. https://www.bitdegree.org/crypto/news/ripple-and-sec-end-fight-xrp-lawsuit-finally-settled-after-4-years