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Ripple vs. SEC Settlement Rumors Gain Momentum: Here’s Why

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TL;DR

  • Speculation is rising that the SEC’s upcoming closed meeting under new Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda might address the Ripple lawsuit, but experts warn against expecting major developments.
  • Despite Gensler’s exit, the Ripple-SEC legal battle continues, with disputes over XRP’s classification and an ongoing appeal delaying resolution.

Incoming Resolution or Just Another Speculation?

The lawsuit between Ripple and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) remains ongoing despite numerous legal developments and changes in the agency’s leadership. Recall that the regulator’s Chairman, Gary Gensler, officially stepped down on January 20 and was replaced by crypto proponent Mark Uyeda.

The Commission has scheduled its first closed meeting under the new Acting Chairman for January 23, causing the XRP Army to speculate that the case against Ripple might be on the agenda this time. Some of the most optimistic predictions include a dismissal of the lawsuit.

It is worth mentioning that the SEC conducts such meetings quite frequently, and there are no public records showing that it has touched upon the aforementioned legal tussle in any of them. 

Marc Fagela former regional director of the SEC for the San Francisco officeclaimed that those expecting “something monumental to happen” at the upcoming gathering “are about to be disappointed.”

“This is the same meeting they hold nearly every week. They will vote on recommendations calendared weeks ago,” he assumed. 

Not so Fast

The anti-crypto Gensler might be out of the SEC, but the official resolution of the case against Ripple remains challenging. After all, the entities have been confronting each other in court for over four years, throwing punches at each other on every possible occasion.

The core issue in the lawsuit is whether XRP (Ripple’s native token) should be classified as a security. The SEC argues it was sold as an unregistered investment, while the company insists it is a digital asset used for payments and not subject to securities laws.

In 2023, Judge Analisa Torres ruled that XRP sales on public exchanges to retail investors did not constitute securities transactions. A year later, she ordered Ripple to pay a fine of $125 million for violating certain rules. 

The penalty represented just a fraction of the $2 billion the SEC initially asked for, and somewhat expected, the firm was ready to settle it. 

However, the watchdog appealed the 2023 verdict and recently filed the necessary opening brief, thus prolonging the lawsuit indefinitely. 

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Stablecoins Emerging as The Dominant Force in Crypto: Coinbase

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Sixteen years after Bitcoin’s launch, stablecoins are emerging as the key force in crypto’s mainstream adoption, particularly for payments and financial operations, said Coinbase in a research report on June 10.

It noted that there was a soaring interest from companies, with 81% of crypto-aware small and medium businesses (SMBs) expressing interest in using stablecoins.

Additionally, Fortune 500 companies showing stablecoin interest have tripled compared to 2024, and 82% of SMBs said crypto can solve at least one major financial challenge.

Stablecoins: The Future of Finance

The firm also reported that organic stablecoin transfer volume has reached unprecedented levels, with the two highest monthly volume transfers in history over the past year in December and April.

The stats don’t stop there.

There are more than 160 million stablecoin holders worldwide, and global stablecoin supply grew 54% year-over-year. Additionally, stablecoin transfer volume in 2024 hit $27.6 trillion, surpassing Visa and Mastercard combined.

“Regulatory clarity is the unlock for crypto’s next chapter,” the report noted, citing the GENIUS Act and other bills that are making their way through US Congress.

“An overwhelming 9 in 10 Fortune 500 executives agree that clear, consistent US regulation around crypto, blockchain, and onchain technologies is essential to support ongoing innovation. “

The United States is not the only nation pushing for stablecoin regulation. This week, the newly elected president of South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, made good on his campaign pledge by proposing the Digital Asset Basic Act.

The legislation allows local companies to issue stablecoins with a minimum equity capital of 500 million KRW ($US368,000), and they need to guarantee refunds through reserves and get regulatory approval.

However, the wheels are turning much more slowly in Europe, where the European Central Bank wants its own central bank digital currency (CBDC) and regional governments want to maintain their tight grip on monetary flows.

Stablecoin Ecosystem Outlook

The current stablecoin ecosystem is dominated by just two players, Tether and Circle.

Tether has a 61% stablecoin market share with $155 billion in circulation. USDT supply has surged around 38% over the past 12 months to an all-time high on June 10.

Circle’s USDC has also surged with a circulation of $61 billion, giving it a market share of 24%. The two companies produce 85% of the stablecoins in the market at the moment.

Maker’s USDS, formerly DAI, is the third-largest with $7.2 billion and the only true high-cap decentralized stablecoin.

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Bitcoin at $105K: Breakout or Breakdown Next? Experts Split

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Bitcoin (BTC) is once again testing the nerves of traders worldwide, hovering just above $105,000 today as forecasts split the crypto community in half.

Will the king cryptocurrency explode to $175,000 this cycle, or nosedive to under $80,000 if fear grips the market?

The $175K Dream

On the bullish side, pseudonymous chart-watcher Egrag Crypto supercharged hopium this week, predicting a huge breakout in the next few months. According to the analyst, BTC’s historical cycle data suggests the asset is primed for a 102% surge, which would catapult it to $175,000 from its current levels.

“The average of three major pumps this cycle is 102%, hitting $175K!” they tweeted, pointing to eerily similar patterns in previous bull markets.

The way Bitcoin shrugged off the effects of recent geopolitical upheavals has only bolstered Egrag’s bullish case. After Israel struck multiple Iranian nuclear and military assets, the cryptocurrency cratered, going from a daily high near $108,500 to just under $103,000, before clawing its way back to around $105,000 today.

Other optimists, like DeFiTracer, also highlighted similar war-driven dips in April and October 2024, when each was followed by 48% and 74% explosions upward. “Don’t let whales and news manipulate you,” he wrote on X, suggesting June’s 4% dip is merely fuel for the next bump upward.

The Bear Trap

However, not everyone is buying the hype just yet. Seasoned analyst Ali Martinez has tempered the euphoria, warning that the market could be on the brink of a sharp correction if key levels don’t hold.

He backed his pessimism, pointing to whales offloading nearly 30,000 BTC in the past week as well as a weakening support floor around the hundred grand level. If this floor gives way, Martinez predicts a drop to as low as $78,500.

His sentiment was echoed by crypto strategist Michaël van de Poppe, who noted that BTC just failed to hold above $106,000, triggering a liquidity cascade southwards. “Two options,” he warned: A sub-$100,000 buying opportunity or a fresh rally if prices hold at around $102,500.

Market observer Axel Adler Jr. also weighed in, drawing attention to BTC’s OBV (On-Balance Volume), which is still stuck in the red near $100,000. According to him, it means that any bullish momentum could be paper-thin.

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BTC Rejected at $106K as Middle East Attacks Intensify and Trump Threatens Iran: Weekend Watch

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Bitcoin’s price rose to over $106,000 hours ago, but the latest developments in the Middle East conflict, as well as Trump’s threats against Iran, pushed it south by over a grand.

Most larger-cap alts are slightly in the red, including HYPE, which has dumped by 5%, while PI is up by a similar percentage.

BTC Stopped at $106K

The primary cryptocurrency was riding high at the beginning of the previous business week as it pumped above $110,000 on several occasions by Wednesday. However, each attempt was met with an immediate rejection, and the last one pushed BTC south to under $106,000.

Although the bulls managed to recover some ground on Thursday and pushed bitcoin to $108,400, the quickly escalating tension in the Middle East resulted in an immediate price drop that drove the asset south to under $103,000.

Although the attacks continued in the following 48 hours, including a few retaliations by Iran, BTC’s price recovered some ground and even jumped above $106,000 hours ago.

However, US President Trump weighed in on the matter once again at that point and threatened Iran with “the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces” if Tehran decides to retaliate against the US in some form.

Bitcoin slipped once again, but it’s still hovering above $105,000. Its market cap remains below $2.1 trillion, while its dominance over the alts is at 61.7% on CG.

BTCUSD. Source: TradingView
BTCUSD. Source: TradingView

Alts React

Most alternative coins are slightly in the red once again on a daily scale. Ethereum is still above $2,500 after a minor decline, and similar price drops of around 1% are evident from DOGE, BNB, LINK, XRP, and SOL. HYPE has dumped the most from the larger-cap alts, having lost 5% of value.

In contrast, Pi Network’s native token has jumped 5% and now trades above $0.6 after the recent flash crash experienced on Friday.

The top 100 alts have a new member, as AB has skyrocketed by 20% and has entered the biggest crypto club.

The total crypto market cap is down by around $20 billion since yesterday to $3.380 trillion on CG.

Cryptocurrency Market Overview. Source: QuantifyCrypto
Cryptocurrency Market Overview. Source: QuantifyCrypto
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Cryptocurrency charts by TradingView.

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