Legal Closure in Sight as Ripple and SEC Seek to Release $125M from Escrow
In a surprise move that could bring one of crypto’s most-watched legal sagas to an end, Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) jointly filed a motion to dissolve the final judgment in their case and release $125 million in escrowed funds.
Filed in Manhattan federal court, the motion proposes that $50 million be paid to the SEC as a civil penalty, with the remaining $75 million returned to Ripple. The two parties invoked Rules 60(b)(6) and 62.1, referencing “exceptional circumstances” and mutual interest in avoiding further litigation.
By filing together, both Ripple and the SEC signal a readiness to move past appeals still pending before the Second Circuit. A final settlement would eliminate lingering regulatory overhangs for Ripple and clear the path for broader institutional adoption of XRP.
The 2020 case centered on $1.3 billion worth of alleged unregistered XRP sales. While the court’s partial rulings had already reshaped the landscape, this latest move may finally bring regulatory clarity to one of crypto’s biggest tokens.
