Meanwhile, the lawsuit caused massive losses for XRP holders. They lost around $15 billion wiped out over the years, but Ripple never backed down, saying from the beginning that XRP was not a security. A judge agreed in 2023, ruling that XRP sales on public exchanges didn’t break securities laws. That win was a major blow to the SEC’s argument. “We won on every critical legal point,” Garlinghouse stated. “That is now the law.”
This decision comes at a time when the SEC is shifting its approach under Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda. The agency has dropped cases against other crypto companies, including Coinbase, Uniswap Labs, and Kraken. Reports suggest the SEC was even debating whether XRP should be classified as a commodity instead of a security, similar to Ethereum.
Garlinghouse believes the SEC was never really trying to protect investors. “They were out to intimidate and terrorize,” he said. He called for the crypto industry to unite and push for clearer rules. “We are closing a chapter in crypto history. I think we’re all stronger for it,” he added. He also noted that more political leaders are supporting crypto-friendly policies, which could lead to better regulations in the future.
Following the announcement, XRP’s price jumped over 14%, climbing from $2.30 to $2.56, according to CoinMarketCap. The trading volume has also surged by 73% to $6.1 billion. Garlinghouse thanked the Ripple team, its lawyers, and the XRP community for standing by the company throughout the fight. “We couldn’t have won this battle without all of you,” he said.
