Stuart Alderoty, Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, once again criticized the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and its chairman, Gary Gensler. Alderoty’s recent statements focus on the SEC’s string of legal losses and the disapproval it has faced from federal judges. This includes a notable case involving Ripple, where the court’s decision largely overturned the SEC’s stance on XRP, a digital asset.
Ripple Triumphs in SEC Lawsuit Ruling
The SEC’s approach has been questioned by Ripple’s defense and federal judges overseeing these high-profile cases. Judge Analisa Torres, in particular, has criticized the SEC’s inconsistent arguments in the Ripple lawsuit. In a significant development, the court ruled that XRP is not a security and that most of Ripple’s transactions complied with the law. This decision marks a crucial victory for XRP against the SEC’s longstanding accusation of securities law violations.
Additionally, the SEC has faced setbacks in other cases beyond Ripple. The commission’s defeat in its case against Grayscale Investments over a Bitcoin ETF application is a case in point. Here, the SEC was condemned for its arbitrary regulatory methods.
More recently, the SEC lost its case against Aaron Govil in the Second Circuit, which could influence the remedies phase of the SEC v. XRP lawsuit. Legal experts believe this ruling, emphasizing penalties for victims with actual economic losses, might affect the ongoing XRP case, particularly in its remedies phase.
Analysts Predict Reduction in XRP Fine
As the Ripple case progresses, the SEC is expected to demand a substantial fine of $770 million, equivalent to the amount Ripple raised through institutional sales of XRP. Legal analysts like John Deaton and Jeremy Hogan speculate that XRP might reduce this sum by excluding non-U.S. sales and accounting for legitimate business expenses. This lawsuit phase is set to complete all remedies-related discoveries by February 2024, setting the stage for the next significant chapter in this legal saga.
