Ripple (XRP) and SEC agree to reduce fine by $50 million… US sales ban also lifted

Ripple, which has been engaged in a long-standing legal dispute with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has recently demanded a favorable trial based on the recently reached settlement agreement. Through the submitted supplementary letter, Ripple argued that this settlement has "established a foundation for competing on more equal terms with other businesses in the industry." The key issue is the scale of the fine Ripple will pay to the SEC and the withdrawal of the ban on XRP sales to institutions in the United States. Recently, Ripple and the SEC agreed to reduce the fine to $50 million and lift the ban on institutional sales within the U.S. This is similar to the precedent set by other cryptocurrency companies like Coinbase ($COIN) and Kraken, who settled early with the SEC with minimal burden. However, the final decision on this matter rests with Judge Analisa Torres. While Ripple and the SEC requested a stay of appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Torres stated that there are no "exceptional circumstances" to modify her previous judgment under the current conditions, showing a cautious stance. Experts diagnose that this settlement could be a crucial turning point for Ripple. Ripple emphasized that if the case is concluded based on the current compromise, they can end the resource-consuming legal battle early. However, if the judge does not accept this settlement, the appeal process may resume, and the lawsuit could potentially continue until next year. With this decision potentially impacting XRP prices and institutional investor inflows, the cryptocurrency industry is once again focusing on Judge Torres's judgment. Ripple is emphasizing "fair competition" across the industry and demanding regulatory consistency.