TLDR
- Ripple settled its SEC case with a $125M payment, but XRP price stays under $3.
- Crypto lawyer Bill Morgan says XRP’s price stagnation is no longer tied to the SEC lawsuit.
- Despite a legal win, XRP’s price didn’t react to the launch of a U.S. spot ETF.
- Ripple’s ecosystem grows with Flare stablecoin and $700M investment in Africa.
Ripple has officially closed its years-long legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), paying a $125 million settlement. While many once linked XRP’s price stagnation to the lawsuit, crypto lawyer Bill Morgan says that argument no longer holds. Despite regulatory clarity, XRP has remained below $3 and failed to respond to recent bullish developments in the crypto market.
XRP Lawsuit Officially Concluded with Final Payment
Ripple’s legal case with the SEC ended with a confirmed $125 million penalty paid to the U.S. Treasury. CEO Jake Claver recently verified the payment, stating it took place in August 2025.
This settlement followed Ripple’s May agreement with the SEC, which involved restrictions on some institutional XRP sales. It preserved key legal findings that separate retail programmatic sales from institutional transactions. The case, ongoing since 2020, concluded with all appeals dismissed.
The resolution brought much-needed regulatory clarity to XRP. It also removed a major roadblock that had been blamed for the token’s weak market performance. Now that the legal dispute is over, XRP’s future price action is being attributed to other factors.
Lawyer States Legal Case Can No Longer Explain Weak Price
Crypto lawyer Bill Morgan shared that the lawsuit has “run its course” as a reason for XRP’s price underperformance. He commented shortly after the payment confirmation, noting that the community could no longer point to legal uncertainty.
“XRP holders must stop blaming the SEC case now,” Morgan stated. He emphasized that the token has not reacted to positive developments since the case was closed.
Despite the resolution, XRP is still trading under $3. It also failed to maintain gains from a rally in late 2024 and early 2025. Some expected a stronger market response once the legal risks were removed, but that has not yet happened.
Price Unmoved Despite Bullish Developments
XRP’s market value has not increased following key industry events. The expected lift from regulatory clarity did not occur, and neither did price growth after the approval of the first U.S. spot XRP ETF.
In addition, XRP’s price did not reflect positive moves in the broader crypto market. This has caused frustration among some investors and traders who anticipated stronger performance once the lawsuit ended.
While market interest in XRP remains, the lack of movement raises questions about demand and utility. Some believe the market may now be watching Ripple’s next steps closely before making major buying decisions.
Ecosystem Growth After Legal Settlement
Since the lawsuit ended, several new developments have taken place within the XRP ecosystem. Flare Network announced a new stablecoin backed by XRP using its Liquity V2 platform. This aims to boost DeFi use and increase liquidity across networks.
In Japan, blockchain company Gumi created an XRP treasury valued at 2.5 billion yen (around $17 million). This move is tied to broader investment strategies led by SBI Holdings in the blockchain sector.
Ripple has also shared expansion plans involving its upcoming stablecoin, RLUSD. The company will launch it in African markets through partnerships with Chipper Cash, VALR, and Yellow Card. It plans to inject $700 million into cross-border payment systems to support financial inclusion.
These developments show that Ripple continues to build utility around XRP, despite the token’s slow market response. As regulatory concerns fade, the focus now shifts to adoption and real-world use cases.
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