Ripple Intensifies Defense With New Submission In SEC Case

As an experienced financial analyst, I have followed the ongoing legal battle between Ripple Labs and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with great interest. The recent supplemental filing by Ripple in response to the SEC’s motion seeking remedies and final judgment is a significant development that could potentially shift the tide in Ripple’s favor.


As a crypto investor, I’ve been closely following the legal battle between Ripple Labs and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Recently, Ripple took a proactive step by filing a notice of supplemental authority in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. This action was taken in response to the SEC’s motion for remedies and final judgment. Essentially, Ripple is providing additional evidence to strengthen its argument in this ongoing dispute.

Ripple Uses Binance Ruling

The foundation of Binance’s defense relies on a judgement from the US District Court for the District of Columbia in the SEC versus Binance Holdings, Ltd. case, numbered 1:23-cv-01599-ABJ-ZMF. This ruling, published on June 28, 2024, granted some and denied other parts of the SEC’s claims that Binance sold unregistered securities.

In the same court case, the judgment was rendered that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) failed to provide enough proof that secondary market deals involving Binance Coin (BNB) tokens traded on cryptocurrency exchanges should be classified as securities transactions. Ripple uses this ruling as a crucial comparison for its ongoing litigation, emphasizing its relevance based on their similar analytical points.

The Ripple legal team emphasizes an important note made by the Binance court in their comprehensive discussion: “Intangible digital assets don’t conform easily to the seven-page framework outlined in the Howey ruling.” This observation illustrates a common challenge in regulating digital assets using traditional securities laws.

As an analyst, I’ve observed that the court’s reprimand of the SEC’s fragmented litigation method was emphasized in the submission. The agency’s choice to regulate this billion-dollar sector through litigation, handling each case individually and dealing with every coin in a different court, is likely inefficient and increases the risk of inconsistent outcomes. Such uncertainty may leave industry players and their prospective clients without clear directions. This critique echoes broader concerns within the cryptocurrency industry regarding the SEC’s regulatory approach.

Ripple advocates for a clear judicial ruling on the legality of XRP sales, which was highlighted as essential following the court’s previous summary judgment. According to the filing, this point reinforces Ripple’s argument that establishing legal guidelines for different types of XRP sales was the primary outcome of the court’s decision. Such clarification is crucial not just for Ripple’s business but also for the entire cryptocurrency market, as prior regulatory clarity before the ruling bolstered their argument against heavy penalties.

Ripple’s filing responds to the nature of the infringements it is accused of by the SEC, contending that the SEC’s failure to prove Ripple acted recklessly justifies lenient penalties. The filing further asserts that the ambiguous regulatory landscape before the ruling on these sales supports Rippe’s claim that the court’s finding of a strict liability violation on certain sales – significantly fewer than those alleged by the SEC – does not demonstrate wanton disregard for the law.

Michael K. Kellogg from Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel, & Frederick PLLC and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, acting as representatives for Ripple Labs, have filed a supplementary notice. In this submission, they aim to refute the SEC’s recent motions while upholding Ripple’s primary arguments concerning the implementation of securities laws in cryptocurrency transactions. This is an ongoing debate within the legal, regulatory, and academic communities as digital assets push the boundaries of traditional frameworks.

At press time, XRP traded at $0.47979.

Ripple Intensifies Defense With New Submission In SEC Case

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2024-07-03 13:11