Joint motion filed for 60-day suspension
Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission have jointly filed a legal motion to suspend their appeals for 60 days, citing progress on a settlement agreement. The case, which began in 2020, is one of the most high-profile regulatory battles in the history of the crypto industry.
According to the filing, the parties have reached an “agreement-in-principle,” which still requires final approval from the Commission and a supportive ruling from the district court.
SEC softens stance under Trump administration
The SEC originally sued Ripple for allegedly selling XRP as an unregistered security, raising broader questions about the classification of cryptocurrencies. In 2023, a judge ruled partially in Ripple’s favor, stating that its programmatic XRP sales did not violate securities laws.
Since the 2024 election, the SEC has dropped multiple lawsuits against crypto companies and adopted a less adversarial approach under Trump’s newly appointed leadership. The agency recently declared that memecoins are not securities, and it has also abandoned its cases against Coinbase and Kraken.
Ripple’s legal position improves
Earlier this year, the SEC withdrew its appeal on the court ruling in Ripple’s favor, while Ripple chose not to pursue its own cross-appeal. CEO Brad Garlinghouse has remained vocal about the company’s intention to bring the case to a close, and Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty confirmed the path toward resolution was accelerating.
A finalized agreement would mark the end of one of the longest-running legal sagas in crypto, potentially setting a precedent for how future digital asset cases are handled.
