The SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple has officially come to a close, marking a significant win for the cryptocurrency sector. The case, which had long been a point of contention, ended with Ripple emerging victorious.
A Key Moment for Ripple and the Crypto Industry
Crypto analyst and influencer WendyO expressed her excitement about the ruling, stating, “The SEC versus Ripple case is essentially over.” This sentiment was echoed by Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, who confirmed the news on social media platform X, writing, “The SEC is set to drop the appeal against Ripple and the case has ended. It is over.”
Following the announcement, XRP saw a significant surge, rising by 12% and trading at around $2.50. Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, Stuart Alderoty, however, suggested that there might still be more legal developments in the works. “With the SEC dropping its appeal, Ripple is now in the driver’s seat and will evaluate how best to pursue our cross-appeal,” he said. “Regardless, today is a day to celebrate this victory.”
Judge Torres’ Ruling a Win for Retail Investors
WendyO highlighted the long-term implications of Judge Analisa Torres’ ruling, which concluded that XRP is not a security in secondary markets. “Judge Torres ruled that XRP is not a security on the secondary market. That ruling still stands, and that’s a win for retail investors,” she explained, underlining the significance of the decision for the broader crypto community.
Institutional Inflows into Bitcoin and Ethereum Struggles
In the broader crypto market, WendyO reported strong institutional interest in Bitcoin. “According to The Block, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $209 million in net daily inflows,” she said. This marked the third consecutive day of positive inflows, signaling growing confidence in the digital asset.
However, Ethereum has been facing challenges. WendyO noted that Ethereum ETFs experienced their 10th consecutive day of outflows, indicating a trend of selling. Additionally, Ethereum price forecasts have been revised downward. “Charter Bank changed their Ethereum price target from $10,000 at the end of 2025 to $4,000,” she pointed out. As of March 19, Ethereum (ETH) was trading at $2,000.
Stablecoin Dominance and Institutional Interest in DeFi
Stablecoins continue to dominate the market. WendyO reported that USDC and USDT accounted for $850 billion in transaction volume in February, reflecting the market’s preference for well-established stablecoins.
Decentralized finance (DeFi) is also seeing renewed interest from institutional investors, although with a regulatory twist. “83% of institutional investors plan to increase their exposure in crypto this year,” WendyO shared, citing data from Coinbase. However, she added that 52% of investors still have concerns about market volatility.
Coinbase is also shaking up the DeFi space with new regulatory measures. “Coinbase introduces KYC-verified liquidity pools for DeFi swaps and trades,” WendyO said. This initiative will be built on Base and Uniswap v4, but initially available only in select regions such as the U.S. and Singapore.
Conclusion
The closure of the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple marks a historic moment for the cryptocurrency market. With the case now behind them, Ripple and the broader crypto industry can look to the future, where institutional interest continues to grow, but challenges remain for Ethereum and regulatory changes loom for DeFi.
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