Ripple vs SEC: Recap, Latest Updates, and Market Impact
- Ripple argues SEC failed to prove Andrea Fox’s testimony as summary evidence, not expert opinion.
- Ripple’s request to seal and redact financial documents sparks further contention.
Ever from its beginning in December 2020, the legal dispute between Ripple and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been an emotional roller coaster. Courtroom drama and a slew of legal disputes followed Ripple’s accusation by the SEC that it had raised over $1.3 billion by selling XRP in an unregistered securities offering.
Ripple v. SEC: The Clash Over Key Testimony
On April 23, 2024, the case moved into trial stage when Judge Sarah Netburn signed a fresh scheduling order that concentrated on the request for remedies and the entry of final judgment. To help in the resolution of the matter, both sides turned in the required paperwork and information.
Arguments dogged the procedure nevertheless, especially with reference to Andrea Fox’s evidence. Fox declared that it was an unsolicited expert opinion, according to Ripple, but the SEC said it was typical summary evidence for disgorgement calculations.
The SEC argued against Ripple’s request on April 29 and said Fox’s testimony was predicated on simple math applied to Ripple’s financial data. Fox used specialist knowledge beyond simple mathematics, Ripple argued, and the SEC neglected to reveal her before the discovery process was over.
Additional Confrontation
One other issue came up when Ripple asked to redact and seal some financial records connected to the SEC’s motion for judgment and remedies, following reports from Crypto News Flash. The SEC maintained that this information should not be kept secret since it constituted judicial papers essential to the case.
While Ripple contends that previous contracts are meaningless because of recent procedural changes in their XRP sales, the SEC feels that this information is essential to comprehending Ripple’s previous XRP sales.
The legal intricacies and possible appeals could cause the action to be resolved later, even after it enters the trial stage. By this summer, American lawyer Jeremy Hogan speculated that a $100 million settlement may be feasible.
With three partial court wins by Ripple last year, which were each followed by a price spike for XRP, the SEC is now the underdog in this legal fight.
Meanwhile, CoinMarketCap data shows that the price of XRP is now around $0.4997, having fallen 4.67% in the previous 24 hours and 3.69% over the previous week. CNF previously reported Stuart Alderoty, CLO of Ripple, criticizing the SEC for using public funds in fruitless legal proceedings.
