Ripple Vs. SEC: SEC Lawsuit Enters Remedies Phase, XRP’s Fate Uncertain

The post Ripple Vs. SEC: SEC Lawsuit Enters Remedies Phase, XRP’s Fate Uncertain appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The ongoing legal tussle between Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reached a crucial turning point, with recent developments indicating a potentially drawn-out legal process ahead.

Ripple vs. SEC Gears Up for Extended Fight: is XRP in the balance?

The lawsuit’s remedies phase advanced; in a recent ruling, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled in favor of the SEC’s motion. Judge Sarah Netburn ordered Ripple to provide financial statements and contracts related to “institutional sales” from 2022 and 2023. This phase focused on determining appropriate legal remedies, sets the stage for extended legal proceedings. 

However, Ripple has to follow the request because it’s part of the remedies stage in the lawsuit. However many legal experts anticipate that Ripple will appeal to the Second Circuit Court after this filing, which could drag the court battle out even more.

Since both parties disagree on the classification of XRP sales, the court will now judge the case based on the financial documents for 2022-2023. While a 2023 court ruling determined that sales of XRP on crypto exchanges did not constitute securities transactions, it distinguished institutional sales of XRP as potentially illegal securities transactions, raising critical legal questions. 

However, the SEC wants to maintain its power and credibility in the crypto world. They’re hesitant to agree that XRP sales aren’t securities transactions because it could weaken their stance in other cases, like ones against big exchanges such as Coinbase and Binance. This difference in goals makes finding a solution to the dispute difficult.

Ripple Ask for More Time

In the meanwhile, Ripple has asked the court for more time to gather information. They already provided some financial documents, but they say gathering more details by the deadline is too hard. They want a week more, until February 20, 2024, to finish. Ripple says this won’t make the case longer because the SEC has time to prepare too.

XRP lawyer’s Say Ripple is Still in Game!

Pro-XRP lawyers reacted to Ripple’s request for an extension. Bill Morgan questioned the significance of a mere 8-day delay after such a long legal battle. He underscored a critical issue concerning sales of XRP to On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) customers. Expecting the Ripple vs. SEC legal clash to escalate. He also talked about new rules from the SEC that could affect cryptocurrency trading. On the flip side, attorney Fred Rispoli thinks the SEC is targeting Ripple, but believes Ripple is still ahead despite the lawsuit.

The deadlock between Ripple and the SEC means the XRP community might have to deal with a long period of uncertainty until the issue is settled. If either side appeals to higher courts, like the U.S. Court of Appeals, it could make the legal process even longer. This update has rocked the XRP community again. Will there be more trouble?