Ripple’s Legal Battle with SEC: February 6, 2023 Update

The Securities and Exchange Commission and Ripple Labs are currently awaiting the result of their ongoing legal dispute. The SEC has charged Ripple Labs with violating U.S. securities laws by offering unregistered securities in the form of XRP. Both sides remain confident in their positions, despite the uncertainty of the outcome.

Stuart Alderoty, Ripple’s General Counsel, has recently referred to the SEC case as ‘misguided’ and has expressed optimism about the future of cryptocurrency regulation in the United States. On the other hand, John Deaton, the creator of Crypto Law, has referred to the SEC’s claims as being “inconsistent” and it is possible that the judge in charge could reject the request for a summary judgment. As the case approaches a close, the XRP community has taken notice of a similar case between the SEC and blockchain-based platform LBRY. In this case, the SEC brought a lawsuit against LBRY for offering its LBC tokens without proper registration, but the judge decided that LBC tokens can only be considered securities when they are sold directly.

Just released photo of SEC’s misguided case following two years of Ripple’s relentless defense. pic.twitter.com/7ITh3SEkkW

— Stuart Alderoty (@s_alderoty) February 5, 2023

With the date of the ruling yet to be determined, legal professionals have been speculating about when a resolution may occur.

Based on the SEC’s schizophrenic argument regarding what constitutes the common enterprise in the @Ripple case, there’s a possibility Judge Torres could deny summary judgment and rule that there is a genuine issue of material facts as to the existence of a common enterprise. https://t.co/3Vo9wGFRed

— John E Deaton (@JohnEDeaton1) January 30, 2023

Sealing of Confidential Documents

Additionally, there is worry about which documents the court will determine to keep secret from the general public. The SEC has submitted a request to seal specific documents, which has generated a strong reaction from the cryptocurrency community. Ripple has also filed an objection to keep the information of an investment banker confidential. The declarant has argued that revealing their identity could negatively impact future investigations.

As Ripple battles the SEC, Craig Wright, a computer scientist and self-proclaimed Bitcoin creator, has questioned the company’s viability and referred to XRP fans as a ‘cultist army’.

In conclusion, the outcome of the SEC and Ripple case remains uncertain as both parties express confidence in their defences. The XRP community is closely following the case and legal experts are speculating on a possible resolution date. Additionally, there is concern about the type of documents that the court will decide to keep confidential.