TLDR
- US appellate court temporarily paused the SEC-Ripple case for 60 days, with SEC expected to file a status report by June 15
- Ripple and SEC have reached a settlement agreement in principle, with Ripple paying $50 million of the previously imposed $125 million fine
- XRP price is stabilizing above $2.00, with technical analysis suggesting a potential 27% breakout to $2.78
- XRP is on track for six consecutive months of positive returns against Ethereum (ETH) for the first time in history
- The cryptocurrency showed strong momentum in Q4 2024 continuing into 2025, supported by positive legal developments and ETF speculation
XRP price is showing stability above the $2.00 mark as a major legal development unfolds between Ripple Labs and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). On Wednesday, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit approved a joint motion to temporarily pause the appeal proceedings for 60 days, giving both parties breathing room as they finalize settlement negotiations.
The court’s decision comes as Ripple and the SEC have reportedly reached an agreement in principle. According to the terms, Ripple will pay $50 million of the previously imposed $125 million fine, with the SEC expected to file a status report by June 15.
This pause signals what could be the final chapter in a legal battle that has stretched over four years.
Technical Analysis Shows Bullish Pattern
On the technical side, XRP price action displays an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern on the four-hour chart. This formation suggests a possible 27% price increase to $2.78 if the cryptocurrency can break through the resistance at $2.20, which serves as the pattern’s neckline.
Before reaching this key resistance, XRP faces immediate hurdles at the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) at $2.07 and $2.09 respectively. Clearing these levels would open the path toward the 200-day EMA at $2.16.
Traders should note that current indicators show mixed signals. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) shows a downward slope at 46.37, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) displays a sell signal with red histograms.
Historic Performance Against Ethereum
In a remarkable development, XRP is on track to achieve six consecutive months of positive returns against Ethereum (ETH) for the first time in its history. This streak began in November 2024 with a massive 160% gain against ETH, and the trend has continued throughout early 2025.
March saw XRP gain nearly 20% against ETH, with April adding another 14% so far. This represents a dramatic turnaround from the previous year when XRP recorded seven straight months of negative performance against Ethereum from November 2023 to May 2024.
The sustained outperformance comes as a surprise to many market observers who had written off XRP during its extended legal troubles.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse confirmed that the company has reached an agreement with SEC staff, though it still requires approval from the agency’s commissioners.
Stuart Alderoty, Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, also verified the settlement terms in a post on X, noting that the $50 million will come from funds currently held in an interest-earning escrow account.
The original penalty of $125 million was imposed by US District Judge Analisa Torres in August 2024.
While XRP has shown resilience, the broader crypto market faces uncertainty amid economic concerns. US President Donald Trump’s trade policies, including a 245% tariff on China, have left many investors cautious about both short-term and long-term market outlook.
If bullish momentum continues to fade, XRP could face downside risks below the critical $2.00 support level. Potential support zones include $1.96, which previously served as resistance on April 8, and further down at $1.75, a level tested on April 9.
Despite these concerns, market sentiment around XRP has improved dramatically since 2024.
The cryptocurrency’s strong performance comes alongside growing speculation about a potential spot-based XRP ETF, which multiple analysts now consider highly probable following the successful launches of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.
For XRP to maintain its bullish trajectory, bulls must overcome immediate resistance levels and validate the inverse head-and-shoulders pattern.
The next few weeks will be crucial as the market awaits the SEC’s status report in June, which could finally bring regulatory clarity to Ripple and potentially trigger renewed buying interest in XRP.
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