27.06.2025 10:54

The protracted legal battle between Ripple Labs, a prominent blockchain-based digital payment platform, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reached a critical juncture. Judge Analisa Torres decisively rejected a joint proposal from both parties to significantly reduce Ripple's potential penalty to $50 million and simultaneously rescind a permanent injunction. This rejection marks a significant turning point in the case.

The judge's decision underscored her belief that the settlement proposal represented an unacceptable attempt to circumvent the court's final ruling through a back-channel agreement. This denial has ignited a wave of reaction, particularly from Ripple's leadership. Stuart Alderoty, Ripple's Chief Legal Officer, declared the company's continued success, highlighting their strategic options: either dropping the appeal contesting the ruling on historical institutional transactions or pressing forward with the appeal. Regardless of the chosen path, Alderoty stressed the unchanged legal status of XRP, emphatically reiterating its classification as not being a security.

Adding further complexity to the situation, Ripple's crypto attorney, John Deaton, revealed that the SEC's arguments reportedly relied on an inaccurate legal precedent. He asserted that the SEC failed to provide compelling justification for altering the court's previous decision, suggesting even more robust legal arguments will likely be presented going forward. This sentiment is partially echoed by legal expert Fred Rispoli, who speculates that both parties might ultimately withdraw their appeals and reach a compromise centered around the proposed $50 million settlement figure. Rispoli also alluded to the possibility of informal assurances being offered by the SEC to Ripple, hinting at potential behind-the-scenes negotiations. The ongoing legal saga continues to unfold, with the next moves from both parties eagerly anticipated.