08.08.2025 07:59

The protracted legal battle between Ripple and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has concluded. A joint motion to dismiss all appeals and cross-appeals was filed with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, effectively ending a nearly five-year conflict. This unprecedented move, made possible by a unanimous SEC commission vote, signifies a decisive end to the litigation. The dismissal, filed under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 42(b)(1), includes the withdrawal of appeals by both parties, and importantly, absolves Ripple’s executives, Chris Larsen and Brad Garlinghouse, from further legal action.


Each party will cover its own legal costs and fees, according to the motion. Stuart Alderoty, Ripple's Chief Legal Officer, confirmed the decision, declaring the lawsuit definitively over and highlighting Ripple’s return to its core business activities. This development follows a significant amount of speculation and analysis within the cryptocurrency community.


The initial SEC lawsuit, filed on December 22, 2020, alleged that Ripple violated federal securities laws by selling XRP, its digital token, to U.S. investors without proper registration. The ensuing trial, which commenced in early 2021 and cost Ripple over $150 million, culminated in a July 2023 summary judgment from U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres. While the judge determined that XRP itself wasn't a security and that Ripple's programmatic exchange sales were not investment contracts, she found Ripple liable for past institutional sales of XRP, resulting in a $125 million fine and a permanent injunction.


This settlement represents a significant turning point for Ripple, allowing them to move forward without the burden of ongoing litigation. The decision's broader implications for the cryptocurrency industry, particularly concerning the classification of digital assets as securities, will undoubtedly continue to be debated and analyzed from various perspectives using information gathered from internet sources.