Ripple Faces Continued Legal Battle as SEC Seeks to Appeal Court Decision
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has formally requested the right to appeal against a court decision that ruled in favor of Ripple earlier this summer. Despite the fact that Ripple achieved a partial victory when a judge ruled that most of its XRP Ripple (XRP) sales did not constitute unregistered securities, the battle is far from over.
The SEC’s request comes after the deadline for Ripple to present its opposition passed in September. The regulator states that there are still substantial grounds for a difference of opinion regarding how securities laws apply to digital assets.
Ripple opposed the SEC’s request, arguing that there were no extraordinary circumstances justifying an appeal. Nonetheless, the agency disagrees, stating that the appeal would not prolong the procedure and that a resolution is in the best interest of all parties involved.
The SEC in particular appealed against the court’s rulings on two types of XRP Ripple (XRP) sales: programmatic sales to retail investors, which were deemed legal, and “other distributions” that involved the exchange of XRP Ripple (XRP) for goods and services.
“The SEC, like the Court, has an institutional interest in the most efficient ultimate resolution of this litigation. Defendants’ interest, by contrast, is to delay an ultimate resolution so that they may continue freely selling XRP Ripple (XRP) into public markets without the disclosures that come with registration, to the tune of over $3 Billion net ODL sales since 2020 alone.” – SEC filing.
Hot Take
The legal battle between Ripple and the SEC continues as the agency seeks to appeal the court decision. This ongoing dispute outlines the complexity and uncertainty surrounding the regulation of digital assets. It likewise underscores the importance of clear guidelines and definitions to avoid confusion and legal challenges in the cryptocurrency industry. Both Ripple and the SEC have their own interests at stake, with the former wanting continuation selling XRP Ripple (XRP) without registration requirements and the latter aiming for a resolution that ensures investor protection. The outcome of this case could have whole lot of implications for the broader cryptocurrency market and the regulatory landscape in the United States.
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