Ripple and SEC settle, sparking XRP’s 10% rally and BlackRock ETF speculation

Ripple and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have agreed to formally end their appeals in the high-profile lawsuit that has dragged on for nearly four years.

In a joint filing on Aug. 7, both parties confirmed they will withdraw their appeals following a Commission vote.

Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, Stuart Alderoty, said the agreement marks the close of a dispute that began in December 2020. Under the settlement terms, XRP will not be classified as a security, and each side will cover its own legal costs.

This outcome is seen as a major win for Ripple, placing it alongside other crypto firms like Coinbase that have resolved conflicts with the SEC.

Following the news, the XRP token price jumped by more than 10% to $3.33 as of press time, according to CryptoSlate’s data.

BlackRock XRP ETF

The settlement has fueled speculation about a potential spot XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) from BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager. The firm already issues leading ETF products tied to Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Nate Geraci, president of NovaDius Wealth, suggested BlackRock may have been waiting for legal clarity before considering an XRP product under its iShares brand. He argued that ignoring assets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum could imply that no other cryptocurrencies have long-term value.

However, he stressed that his views are speculative, saying:

“I’ll own it if I’m wrong.”

Meanwhile, not everyone shares Geraci’s optimistic outlook about a potential BlackRock XRP ETF.

Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas expressed skepticism, saying he believes BlackRock is content with its two existing crypto ETFs.

He cited the “law of diminishing returns” for adding more products, though he admitted his opinion was based more on intuition than concrete evidence.

Despite his doubts about BlackRock pursuing an XRP ETF, Balchunas remains optimistic about the broader regulatory environment. He estimated a 95% chance of an XRP ETF receiving approval before the end of the year.

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