The long-running case between Ripple and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has finally concluded. Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer (CLO) Stuart Alderoty hailed it as a decisive win for the company in a recent Coindesk interview.
After nearly four years, the court ruled that Ripple should pay $125 million for violating federal securities laws in its sales of XRP to institutional investors. For Ripple, the $125 million fine represents a small fraction of the $1.95 billion the SEC initially sought.
According to Alderoty, the ruling shows that the SEC’s approach was overreaching, and the absence of fraud or misappropriation allegations further weakens the SEC’s position.
He emphasized that the court acknowledged that institutional investors received what they had bargained for, raising questions about why the SEC pursued the case so aggressively.
Industry experts view Ripple’s victory as significant. Patrick Daugherty, head of Foley and Lardner’s digital assets practice, highlighted the importance of the court’s ruling on secondary XRP trades. He noted that the ruling weakens the SEC’s ability to argue that tokens trading on exchanges constitute securities, a loss that could impact other cases in the crypto space.
Despite Ripple’s success, there are still concerns that the SEC may choose to appeal. The ruling on secondary trades sets a precedent that could hinder the SEC’s enforcement efforts in other cases involving tokens. One attorney expressed doubts that the SEC would accept the ruling without further challenge, given the potential implications for its regulatory strategy.
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Ripple’s Next Steps
As for the penalties, Alderoty expressed confidence in Ripple’s ability to easily cover the $125 million fine. He downplayed the significance of the court’s injunction, describing it as a typical “obey the law” order that does not impose any new restrictions on Ripple’s operations. Ripple can continue selling XRP in compliance with existing regulations, and the On-Demand Liquidity service was not found to violate the law.
Looking ahead, the potential for an SEC appeal looms. Alderoty suggested that even if an appeal is filed, the crypto industry should not be overly concerned, as appeals courts rarely overturn district court decisions.
While Ripple’s victory marks a pivotal moment for the company, the broader impact on the industry remains uncertain. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently revealed that XRP has dual legal clarity and the crypto industry is hopeful that this clarity will extend further.
Ripple’s legal team remains confident that the resolution of the case demonstrates the company’s compliance with the law and signals a victory for the broader digital asset community. For now, as Alderoty emphasized on X, Ripple is the winner in this high-stakes legal battle.
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