Ripple and SEC: Legal Dispute Intensifies with Appeal Deadline on January 15

• XRP hits $2,99 ​​amid legal speculation.
• SEC has until January 15 to file an appeal.
• New SEC leadership could change course of Ripple case.

The price of XRP, a digital asset linked to Ripple, reached $2,99 ​​in the last 24 hours, marking a significant advance in the cryptocurrency market. This 14% appreciation surpasses the previous all-time high of $2,89 recorded last December, as reported by industry monitoring platforms. This performance reinforces the optimism surrounding the asset, especially amid speculation about the developments in the legal dispute between Ripple and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The dispute began in 2020, when the SEC accused Ripple of trading XRP as an unregistered security. In 2024, the company was ordered to pay a fine of $125 million, significantly less than the $2 billion originally demanded by the commission. However, the SEC appealed the decision, and the deadline to file an appeal is set for January 15, 2025.

On January 20, Gensler's war on crypto ends at the SEC. We asked the SEC to agree to postpone the filing of their opening brief in their appeal of our victory (current deadline Jan 15) – and they refused. What a waste of time and taxpayer dollars!

However, we are confident…

— Stuart Alderoty (@s_alderoty) January 14, 2025

The approaching deadline and the political impact of imminent changes in the SEC leadership are at the center of the discussions. The current chairman of the commission, Gary Gensler, known for taking a hardline approach towards the cryptocurrency sector, will be replaced by Paul Atkins, recognized for his more favorable stance towards digital financial innovations. This scenario has raised expectations that the new administration may review strategies, including a possible dismissal of the case against Ripple.

While the outcome is still uncertain, the market is optimistic, reflected in the significant movements of XRP on global exchanges. Binance, Bybit and OKX recorded net outflows of over US$200 million, indicating a possible strategic accumulation movement by large investors. On Coinbase, XRP inflows from US investors exceeded US$65 million, reinforcing interest in the asset in a context of potential regulatory change.

Ripple’s chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty shared his thoughts on the case on Twitter. He noted that Ripple had asked the SEC to delay the filing of the appeal, currently due until January 15, but the request was denied. Alderoty called the decision “a waste of taxpayers’ time and money” and stated that Ripple is confident in its position in the appeal. He also expressed optimism about working with the new SEC leadership starting January 20, when Gary Gensler will step down.

Beyond the legal battle, Ripple continues to expand its presence in the global financial market. In Japan, all banking institutions are expected to adopt XRP Ledger technology by 2025, a move that promises to make cross-border payments and currency conversions more efficient. The company has also invested in strategic partnerships, such as its collaboration with the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem, expanding the utility of its products.

With the SEC deadline approaching and the possibility of a settlement on the table, the market remains attentive to legal and political developments that could directly influence the future of XRP.