ā ļøšØ WHY BANKS WONāT ANNOUNCE RIPPLE PARTNERSHIPS YET.
Rippleās legal fight is ending, but banks stay silent. Why? Regulatory risk. Until the SEC case is fully closed, compliance concerns hold them back.
Letās break down why theyāre waiting. š§µš
#xrp #SEC #USbank #RİPPLE #FidelityStablecoin $XRP 1ļøā£ SECās XRP Lawsuit Created a Legal Gray Area.
Since 2020, the SEC argued that Rippleās XRP sales violated securities laws. Until the case was resolved, XRPās legal status was in question. Banks could not risk engaging in potentially illegal securities transactions.
Even though a court ruled that XRP is not a security in secondary markets, institutional sales were deemed securitiesāa key legal nuance that banks must carefully navigate.
Banks donāt like uncertainty. No clarity = No announcements
2ļøā£ Regulators Require Banks to Avoid Legal Exposure.
U.S. banks are overseen by multiple regulators, including:
ā
OCC (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency).
ā
Federal Reserve.
ā
FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation).
ā
SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission).
ā
FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network).
Each of these agencies has strict rules for new activities and fintech partnerships. If a bank engages with an entity under legal scrutiny (like Ripple), regulators demand a full risk analysis before approval.
Until the Ripple lawsuit is completely over, banks canāt confidently clear these regulatory hurdles
3ļøā£ OCC Rules: Crypto Partnerships Require Special Approval.
In 2021, the OCC restricted banks from engaging in crypto-related activities without first obtaining written approval.
Even though the OCC eased this rule in March 2025, banks are still required to demonstrate:
š¹ Robust risk management.
š¹ Compliance with all financial laws.
š¹ Zero exposure to legal violations.
If a bank jumps the gun on Ripple before full regulatory clarity, it could face severe penalties
4ļøā£ AML & FinCEN Oversight: XRPās Compliance Risks.
The Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and AML regulations require banks to prevent money laundering.
In 2015, FinCEN fined Ripple $700K for BSA violations because it failed to register as a money services business (MSB) and lacked proper AML controls.
Banks must ensure Ripple is fully compliant with AML laws before engaging in large-scale partnerships. One misstep and the bank could be fined, investigated, or even lose its charter
5ļøā£ Third-Party Risk Management: Banks Must Vet Ripple Thoroughly.
Banks are extremely cautious when partnering with fintech firms. They must:
š Conduct in-depth due diligence on Rippleās compliance history.
š Ensure no legal liabilities (which is hard when a firm is under SEC litigation).
āļø Prove to regulators that XRP transactions wonāt be considered securities offerings.
Until EVERY legal risk is resolved, banks will wait before announcing partnerships
6ļøā£ Regulatory Reputation Risk: No Bank Wants to Be First.
Imagine the headlines: āMajor U.S. Bank Faces SEC Scrutiny for Partnering with Rippleā.
Banks value stability over innovation. No bank wants to be the SECās next target.
Even after Rippleās legal victory, banks will move graduallyātesting RippleNet without publicly committing to XRP use.
7⣠So When Will Banks Announce Ripple Partnerships?
š” Once the SEC officially closes the case and regulatory clarity is achieved.
š” When banks receive explicit approval from the OCC, Fed, and FDIC.
š” When Rippleās compliance controls satisfy AML and securities laws.
Right now, banks are engaged in private discussions with Ripple. Once theyāre sure regulators wonāt object, announcements will follow.
š Expect a slow rolloutānot an overnight flood.
š„ Final Takeaway.
Banks donāt fear Rippleās technologyāthey fear regulatory backlash.
They are waiting for ironclad legal clarity before announcing any partnerships involving RippleNet or XRP.
š The SEC case created uncertainty. Banks donāt move until risk = 0.
š Now that Rippleās legal battle is ending, banks will cautiously re-engage.
š Expect private pilots before public announcements.
Regulation dictates the timeline. And in banking, compliance is king. š
$XRP $XRP