In a surprising twist in the ongoing legal battle between Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a federal judge has rejected a joint request to reduce Ripple’s $125 million penalty and lift a ban on XRP sales to institutional investors. ⚖️🚫
🔍 The Ruling at a Glance:
Judge Analisa Torres dismissed the motion from both Ripple and the SEC, stating that they failed to demonstrate the “exceptional circumstances” required to change a finalized court decision under Federal Rule 60(b).
👉 The motion had proposed:
Slashing the $125M penalty to $50M
Returning $75M to Ripple
Terminating the injunction that blocks institutional XRP sales
But the judge was clear: 📢 No Deal! The original judgment will stand firm.
📉 Ripple’s Partial Win Stays
While this is a setback for Ripple, the company still holds its partial victory from 2023 when the court ruled that programmatic XRP sales (to the public) are not securities. However, institutional sales were deemed securities and in violation of U.S. law. 🧑⚖️
🗣️ Ripple Reacts
Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty responded, saying the company is now evaluating its options, which may include continuing with or withdrawing their appeal. 🔁
🔮 What’s Next?
✅ Ripple must pay the full $125 million penalty
🚫 XRP cannot be sold to institutions until further notice
📅 Both Ripple and the SEC can still appeal or settle, but any changes must meet high legal standards
📌 Why This Matters:
This ruling strengthens regulatory enforcement over crypto firms and signals that post-judgment deals — even if agreed upon by both parties — won’t easily override a court’s decision. 🧱⚖️
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💬 Final Thought:
The XRP saga is far from over. But one thing’s clear: institutional investors won't be seeing fresh XRP deals anytime soon. 📉💼 Stay tuned as Ripple navigates its next legal moves.#XRP #RippleVsSEC #CryptoNews #CryptoLaw #BlockchainRegulations $XRP