Ripple Case May End Without SEC Appeal, Ex-Official Suggests

As a crypto investor with some experience in the industry, I closely follow developments related to regulatory decisions and their potential impact on various digital assets. The recent speculation surrounding the SEC’s possible decision not to appeal the Ripple Labs ruling is intriguing.


The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could decide against appealing the partial favorable ruling given by Judge Analisa Torres in the ongoing Ripple Labs case. This move indicates a tactical adjustment to prevent setting an unfavorable precedent in higher courts. The crypto community is currently on edge, as they anticipate the court’s remedies phase decision, scheduled for the end of Summer 2024. After this ruling, the SEC will have the opportunity to file an appeal if they choose to do so.

Why The SEC May Want To Avoid An Appeal Vs. Ripple

Kristina Littman, who previously led the SEC’s Enforcement Division’s Cyber Unit, shared her insights during a recent digital assets conference about potential SEC actions. She hypothesized that considering the varied judicial rulings in comparable cases, the SEC could opt to adopt the district court’s verdict.

As a researcher observing the Ripple case, I find myself wondering if the parties will choose to appeal the decision regarding this particular issue. The potential for further legal maneuvers highlights the complexity and strategic considerations involved in this high-stakes dispute.

In his further explanation of the complex judicial issue at hand, Littman pointed out that there’s some conjecture. Specifically, he believed that because Judge Rakoff in the Terra case explicitly disagreed with Judge Torres’ reasoning from the Ripple case, and Coinbase’s appeal didn’t directly address the Ripple opinion but instead aligned more closely with Terra’s logic.

She went on to express her belief that the SEC might choose not to pursue an appeal, explaining, “There’s some debate that the SEC may prefer to leave the Ripple case as a district court decision rather than risk creating unfavorable precedent by taking it to the appellate level, where they could potentially face undesirable outcomes following the Ripple litigation.”

Did Kristina Littman of the #SEC just confirm that the #SEC is NOT appealing the #Ripple case?

We know how these speculations have gone, she knows!

— wEeZiE {X}John Deaton 4 Senate (@NerdNationUnbox) June 19, 2024

What’s At Stake

In the initial judgment handed down in July 2023, Ripple’s automated and secondary market XRP transactions were determined not to fall under the category of security transactions. The company emerged victorious on three out of the four disputed issues. However, Judge Torres decided that the sales of XRP to institutional investors did indeed constitute security transactions.

As a crypto investor, I can tell you that Ripple’s recent court victory was a significant win in the ongoing debate about the classification of XRP as a security. This judgment was based on intricate analyses of US securities laws and their applicability to digital assets, which are not explicitly mentioned in existing legislation.

As a crypto investor, I’m constantly keeping an eye on legal developments that could impact the market. However, the situation is far from clear-cut. The SEC vs. Terraform Labs and Ripple cases have produced conflicting rulings, making it harder to predict how regulators will approach similar situations in the future. For instance, Judge Rakoff in the Terraform Labs case disagreed with Judge Torres’ reasoning used in the Ripple case. Furthermore, major crypto exchange Coinbase has taken a stance closer to the judgment in the Terraform Labs case, adding another layer of complexity to an already uncertain regulatory landscape.

As an analyst, I would interpret Littman’s comments as indicative of a larger strategic approach within the SEC to steer clear of testing ambiguous legal grounds in appellate courts. The rationale behind this is that unfavorable rulings could set harmful precedents that might restrict the SEC’s regulatory authority in the sector moving forward. By choosing not to appeal, the SEC may be aiming to preserve its flexibility in regulating the industry.

At press time, XRP traded at $0.50054.

Ripple Case May End Without SEC Appeal, Ex-Official Suggests

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2024-06-21 03:11