Ripple Acknowledges ‘XRP Army’ Role in SEC Battle
Ripple’s four-year legal fight with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officially closed this August, bringing an end to one of the most closely watched crypto cases. Alongside Ripple’s lawyers, both the court and company executives credited the “XRP Army” for influencing the outcome.
The SEC first sued Ripple in 2020, alleging it raised money through an unregistered securities offering. The case stretched on until Judge Analisa Torres ruled in July 2023 that XRP sold on secondary markets was not a security, though some institutional sales were. Both sides dropped appeals this summer, finalizing the decision.
Attorney John Deaton, who filed an amicus brief for XRP holders, argued the community’s involvement was decisive. Judge Torres cited Deaton’s filings, affidavits from investors, and arguments he raised in the LBRY case. “The proof is in the decision itself,” Deaton wrote on X.
Ripple executives echoed the point. Deputy General Counsel Deborah McCrimmon said the XRP Army’s research was invaluable to Ripple’s “fair notice” defense, saving the company thousands in legal work. “They were finding SEC speeches and government statements and posting them on Twitter,” she said on The Penta Podcast.
The case reshaped XRP’s market trajectory. The token surged 72% after the 2023 ruling, later hitting an all-time high of $3.65 in July 2025 before pulling back. XRP now trades near $2.85, down around 1% in the past day.
