According to reports, Ripple had offered between $4 billion and $5 billion in an attempt to acquire stablecoin issuer Circle, but the offer was considered too low and was rejected. This bid occurred shortly after Circle applied for an IPO in the United States. Ripple has not yet decided whether to continue pursuing the acquisition. Additionally, Ripple acquired Hidden Road for $1.2 billion to expand the XRP ecosystem. Legally, Ripple reached a settlement with the U.S. SEC, paying $50 million to close the case, and the SEC has withdrawn its appeal.