Will US SEC Appeal Ripple Lawsuit Ruling?

As a seasoned financial analyst with over two decades of experience navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the financial markets, I find myself intrigued by the recent developments in the long-standing legal battle between Ripple Labs Inc and the SEC. The final ruling on Wednesday has certainly brought some clarity to the matter, but it seems that uncertainty still lingers in the air due to the possibility of an appeal from the SEC.


The legal dispute between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ripple Labs Inc, which lasted nearly four years, ended with a final decision on Wednesday. Now, there’s speculation among many about whether the SEC might choose to challenge certain aspects of the July 2023 verdict.

Mixed sentiment from Ripple’s CTO

David Schwartz, Ripple’s CTO, was the focus of a discussion on Wednesday. A user inquired about the possibility of an appeal being made, to which he replied, “To be honest, I don’t know. There are strong reasons that could lead to one and equally compelling reasons that might prevent it.”

To be truthful, I’m utterly clueless about it. I could make a strong case for both possibilities – why it might happen and why it probably won’t.

— David “JoelKatz” Schwartz (@JoelKatz) August 8, 2024

As a researcher, I’d like to reiterate that the ongoing legal battle between Ripple and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) centers around the classification of XRP, the digital token linked with Ripple. Back in 2020, the SEC instigated a lawsuit against Ripple alleging they illegally sold unregistered securities through XRP sales. Fast forward to July 2023, Judge Torres ruled that XRP traded on exchanges does not qualify as a security. However, it’s worth noting that if the SEC chooses to, they might appeal this decision.

According to our previous findings, Ripple was mandated to pay a $125 million civil fine, which is only a small portion of the initially proposed $2 billion sanction. Despite acknowledging Ripple’s persistent breaches of securities regulations as severe infractions, the Judge stated that the SEC has not successfully proven that Ripple led investors to suffer financial losses.

Given the verdict, numerous XRP community participants believe that the likelihood of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) choosing to appeal is quite slim, primarily due to shifts in the regulatory environment. If their assumptions prove correct, XRP would retain its legal certainty and establish a significant precedent for other digital currencies.

Regarding the final outcome of the case, Schwartz predicts that both the SEC and Ripple will take crucial steps within the next two months.

XRP’s reaction to final judgment

In response to the final verdict, XRP has shown positive signs. You might remember that XRP climbed up to the $0.5 mark earlier this week, after dipping below this significant support point. Currently, at the time of writing, XRP has increased further, witnessing a 20% daily spike, reaching $0.6171.

The trade activity significantly surged by a remarkable 250%, reaching a total of $5.3 billion, suggesting a resurgence in investors’ enthusiasm.

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2024-08-08 12:27