Ripple wins legal battle as SEC drops appeal, confirming XRP is not a security.
Ripple CEO Garlinghouse celebrates victory, marking a turning point for crypto regulation.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse confirmed that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will drop its appeal against the company, bringing an end to the four-year legal battle. Garlinghouse shared the news in a video posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on March 19, 2025.
The announcement follows a partial victory for the company in 2023 when a judge ruled that its XRP sales on secondary markets were not considered securities transactions. However, the SEC’s appeal had threatened to overturn that ruling.
The End of a Four-Year Legal Battle
The legal dispute began in December 2020 when the SEC filed a lawsuit accusing Ripple of breaching U.S. securities laws by selling XRP without proper registration. This lawsuit has been one of the longest-running legal cases against a cryptocurrency company.
This is it – the moment we’ve been waiting for. The SEC will drop its appeal – a resounding victory for Ripple, for crypto, every way you look at it.
The future is bright. Let’s build. pic.twitter.com/7WsD0C92Cm
— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) March 19, 2025
Although Ripple won a partial victory in 2023, the SEC appealed the decision, seeking to reclassify XRP as a security when sold to retail investors.
Garlinghouse’s announcement comes after reports that the SEC was considering whether to reclassify XRP as a commodity. The decision to drop the appeal was widely expected, given the SEC’s recent shift in approach under Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda.
In the video, Garlinghouse celebrated the outcome, emphasizing that the case was “over” and calling it a “long overdue surrender” by the SEC. He expressed relief over the conclusion of a legal battle that he believed was doomed from the start.
XRP Surges as the Case Concludes
Following Garlinghouse’s confirmation, XRP saw a significant surge in value, rising nearly 14% to $2.57, according to CoinGecko. As previously discussed, XRP is nearing the final stage of the Wyckoff re-accumulation phase, with a potential breakout above $2.9.
XRP has remained in a consolidation phase since early 2025, trading between $2 and $3.3, a sign of strong accumulation by institutional investors, according to market analyst Steph (@Steph_iscrypto).
Garlinghouse explained that it had been a “painful journey” for the company, but they had always believed in their legal standing. He also stated that there were no victims in the case and that the SEC’s actions against Ripple were not made in good faith.
The legal victory has significant implications not only for Ripple but for the wider cryptocurrency industry. Garlinghouse stressed that the court’s ruling—which determined that XRP is not a security—established an important legal precedent. This ruling could serve as a foundation for future cryptocurrency Ripple wins legal battle as SEC drops appeal, confirming XRP is not a security.
Ripple CEO Garlinghouse celebrates victory, marking a turning point for crypto regulation.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse confirmed that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will drop its appeal against the company, bringing an end to the four-year legal battle. Garlinghouse shared the news in a video posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on March 19, 2025.
The announcement follows a partial victory for the company in 2023 when a judge ruled that its XRP sales on secondary markets were not considered securities transactions. However, the SEC’s appeal had threatened to overturn that ruling.
The End of a Four-Year Legal Battle
The legal dispute began in December 2020 when the SEC filed a lawsuit accusing Ripple of breaching U.S. securities laws by selling XRP without proper registration. This lawsuit has been one of the longest-running legal cases against a cryptocurrency company.
This is it – the moment we’ve been waiting for. The SEC will drop its appeal – a resounding victory for Ripple, for crypto, every way you look at it.
The future is bright. Let’s build. pic.twitter.com/7WsD0C92Cm
— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) March 19, 2025
Although Ripple won a partial victory in 2023, the SEC appealed the decision, seeking to reclassify XRP as a security when sold to retail investors.
Garlinghouse’s announcement comes after reports that the SEC was considering whether to reclassify XRP as a commodity. The decision to drop the appeal was widely expected, given the SEC’s recent shift in approach under Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda.
In the video, Garlinghouse celebrated the outcome, emphasizing that the case was “over” and calling it a “long overdue surrender” by the SEC. He expressed relief over the conclusion of a legal battle that he believed was doomed from the start.
XRP Surges as the Case Concludes
Following Garlinghouse’s confirmation, XRP saw a significant surge in value, rising nearly 14% to $2.57, according to CoinGecko. As previously discussed, XRP is nearing the final stage of the Wyckoff re-accumulation phase, with a potential breakout above $2.9.
XRP has remained in a consolidation phase since early 2025, trading between $2 and $3.3, a sign of strong accumulation by institutional investors, according to market analyst Steph (@Steph_iscrypto).
Garlinghouse explained that it had been a “painful journey” for the company, but they had always believed in their legal standing. He also stated that there were no victims in the case and that the SEC’s actions against Ripple were not made in good faith.
The legal victory has significant implications not only for Ripple but for the wider cryptocurrency industry. Garlinghouse stressed that the court’s ruling—which determined that XRP is not a security—established an important legal precedent. This ruling could serve as a foundation for future cryptocurrency
