The Ripple vs. SEC lawsuit appears to be nearing its final stages, but the path is not yet clear. Although Ripple officially withdrew its cross-appeal in June and fulfilled its $125 million penalty obligation, the SEC has yet to do the same.
This case has dwelled long in the minds of the members of the XRP community, and most recently, pro-XRP attorney Bill Morgan commented that while there is technically no hard deadline for the SEC to withdraw, a key date is now fast approaching.
No Deadline, But the Clock Is Ticking
According to pro-XRP lawyer Bill Morgan, August 15, 2025, serves as a procedural checkpoint for both Ripple and the SEC on their legal standoff. This is because they are required to submit a joint status report to the appellate court on that date, effectively making it the moment when the SEC will be expected to show its hand.
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Although the regulatory agency is under no legal obligation to dismiss its appeal by then, the deadline is a trigger for action, or at the very least, a formal update. He wrote that “the SEC needs to report to the appeal court by 15 August 2025, which acts as a deadline… although it may just ask for more time.”
This delay has left the XRP community in a holding pattern since October 2024, when the SEC filed a notice of appeal on Judge Torres’ ruling. The major consensus is that the SEC would follow Ripple’s lead of dropping its cross-appeal.
What Happens If The SEC Withdraws Or Doesn’t?
The longer the SEC remains silent, the more uncertainty clouds the path forward, despite growing consensus that Judge Torres’s ruling in July 2023, which declared XRP not a security in secondary market trading to retailers, should now be finalized. The appeal has essentially allowed the case to drag on for two more years.
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If the SEC withdraws its appeal in the coming days, that action will cement the May 2023 ruling as final. This would not only end the multi-year legal battle but also unlock several long-awaited market developments.
As noted by crypto commentator Vincent Van Code, over 1,700 companies tied to Ripple through NDAs may finally reveal partnerships and projects built on the XRP Ledger. Furthermore, legal clarity would also pave the way for institutional-grade products like Spot XRP ETFs waiting for approval, which in turn would cause a rapid increase in the price of XRP.
However, if the SEC requests more time on or around August 15, it could delay this next phase of XRP’s growth and continue to keep XRP’s regulatory status in limbo. Although such a move wouldn’t reverse any legal victories Ripple has secured, it would prolong the uncertainty that is restraining confidence among investors.
Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview.com
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