XRP Records Gains as Ripple vs. SEC Lawsuit Nears Conclusion

• XRP gained 2% as reports suggest Ripple and the SEC are nearing a settlement.
• Legal uncertainty remains, but XRP could test the $2.72 resistance if it holds $2.00 support.

Ripple’s ongoing legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) appears to be nearing its final stage. Reports indicate that both parties are negotiating settlement terms after the SEC previously fined Ripple $125 million and issued an injunction against institutional XRP sales. 

Despite lingering uncertainties, XRP gained 2% on Wednesday, reflecting investor optimism about a potential resolution. Meanwhile, technical indicators suggest the token could test the $2.72 resistance level if it maintains support at $2.00.

Ripple’s Legal Team Pushes for Favorable Terms

Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terrett, citing two sources, reported that the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple “could be over soon.” The delay in reaching an agreement stems from ongoing discussions regarding Judge Analisa Torres’s August 2023 ruling, which penalized Ripple for securities law violations and prohibited future XRP sales to institutional investors.

🚨SCOOP: Two well-placed sources tell me that the @SECGov vs. @Ripple case is in the process of wrapping up and could be over soon.

My understanding is that the delay in reaching an agreement is due to Ripple's legal team negotiating more favorable terms regarding the August…

— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) March 12, 2025

As detailed in our last news piece, Terrett noted that Ripple’s legal team is seeking more favorable terms before finalizing the case. The company argues that if the SEC is dropping enforcement actions against other crypto firms, Ripple should not be penalized under outdated regulatory frameworks. Terrett highlighted that the SEC, under its new leadership, is reassessing previous enforcement actions, potentially reconsidering whether Ripple committed any wrongdoing.

Attorney James Murphy echoed this sentiment, suggesting that Ripple may be holding off on a settlement to avoid accepting terms that could impact future business operations. He emphasized that the injunction, rather than the fine, remains a significant obstacle for Ripple, especially if the company plans an initial public offering (IPO) or a future securities offering.

XRP Struggles at Key Resistance as Market Sentiment Remains Mixed

XRP saw $11.10 million in futures liquidations over the past 24 hours, with $5.63 million in longs and $5.47 million in shorts getting wiped out, according to Coinglass data . After briefly dipping to $1.89 on March 11, the token rebounded to hold above $2.00, but traders remain cautious.

Market indicators paint a mixed picture. Open interest in XRP perpetual futures remains steady at 1.35 billion XRP, but funding rates and cumulative volume delta (CVD) are negative, signaling that shorts dominate the market. Negative funding rates suggest traders are paying fees to hold short positions, while negative CVD reflects higher selling pressure.

Legal uncertainties continue to weigh on XRP’s outlook, and broader market trends also play a role—Bitcoin’s dominance has surged to 62.5%, the highest level since March 2021.

At $2.20, XRP faces a crucial resistance level, with traders looking for a breakout. If it fails to hold this level, it could retrace to $1.60, a key support zone.

Analyst EGRAG Crypto has revised his long-term model, now aligning XRP’s price action with Cycle A (2014-2018) rather than the 2021-2024 cycle. If this plays out, XRP’s peak could extend to September 2025, offering another six months of potential gains. While he hasn’t given an exact price target, he previously set $27 as a bullish target.

Ripple’s Position in the Settlement Talks

Legal experts have weighed in on the possible outcomes of the Ripple vs. SEC case. Attorney Jeremy Hogan suggested that the case could conclude swiftly if Ripple and the SEC reached a private settlement that modifies the August ruling without formally contesting it in court. He speculated that the SEC might agree not to enforce the injunction or provide Ripple with a pathway to register future XRP sales without officially dismissing the previous ruling.

Dizer Capital founder Yassin Mobarak noted that Ripple could afford to pay the $125 million fine without issue. However, he emphasized that the injunction remains the key sticking point, preventing the parties from reaching a final agreement. Mobarak suggested Ripple is actively working to remove the restriction on institutional XRP sales before settling.

As ETHNews discussed , the SEC is already dropping cases against other crypto firms like Coinbase and Binance, and industry observers expect the Ripple case to follow a similar trajectory. However, it remains unclear whether the SEC will fully retract its allegations or maintain some oversight over Ripple’s future operations.