XRP investors disappointed: Did the SEC accidentally spark the hype?
What should have been a triumph isn’t turning into a party for XRP investors right now.
What should have been a triumph isn’t turning into a celebration for XRP investors right now. The four-year legal battle between Ripple Labs and the U.S. SEC seems on paper to have ended up favorable for the crypto company. First the SEC pulled its appeal, then Ripple agreed to a relatively mild $50 million fine. Everything looked set for a bright future for XRP.
Yet the expected rally remains elusive. XRP, the world’s second-largest crypto, is trading around $2.16, about 10% lower than last week. On a monthly basis it’s down 17%, and that has investors who were counting on a big price jump after the legal win on edge.
One of the causes seems to be the lack of an official response from the SEC. In other cases, like Kraken and Cumberland, the regulator reacted almost immediately. The silence around Ripple now feeds new doubts: is there still something legal in the works? Pro-crypto lawyer Fred Rispoli is trying to calm things down. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he writes: “It should be fully, formally, legally and spectacularly wrapped up within 60 days.”
Yet the approaching end of the legal battle could bring an unexpected problem: XRP is slowly fading from the spotlight. Public debates, massive social media support, and involvement of prominent lawyers may have helped lift the price in recent months. Ironically, former SEC chair Gary Gensler, with his tough stance, might have given XRP a boost. And the global Google search volume for the coin also points to this: it peaked in January, just before the filing deadline, then dropped sharply.
Even a Bitcoin purist backs Ripple in this fight
Interestingly, Pierre Rochard, a vocal XRP critic and head of research at Riot Platforms, recently admitted: “I don’t think the SEC should have taken action against Ripple.” He says the regulator’s hard line has given Ripple a martyr status. That’s a stance CEO Brad Garlinghouse could leverage in talks with a potentially reelected President Trump.
Rochard notes XRP has no real effect because Ripple makes no promises and has no obligations to investors. Still, he remains skeptical of the coin: “Ultimately XRP will lose on the open market.” The biggest problem? The central role of Ripple Labs, which he says creates too much dependence.
Analysts at Bitwise remain optimistic
On the flip side, analysts at investment firm Bitwise are much more upbeat about XRP’s future. In their latest crypto report, they outline three scenarios. Only in the bearish ‘Bear Scenario’ does XRP’s price fall further by 2030. But if Ripple grows its network, forges new partnerships, and succeeds in the growing stablecoin market, they see a $12.70 price possible (the ‘Bull Scenario’). In their most optimistic view — the ‘Max Scenario’ — they even forecast $29.30.
