Ripple and the SEC have asked the Manhattan District Court to release $125 million from escrow as they move towards settling their long-running legal dispute.
The parties proposed a $125 million settlement wherein $50 million would go to the SEC as a civil penalty, with the rest returned to Ripple.
The legal battle, ongoing for nearly five years, started when the SEC accused Ripple of raising $1.3 billion through unregistered XRP sales in late 2020.
In a partial legal victory for Ripple in 2023, a judge ruled that XRP sales to retail buyers were not securities offerings, but institutional sales violated securities laws.
The SEC initially sought a $2 billion fine, later reduced to $125 million, with $50 million potentially going to the SEC and $75 million to Ripple.
The fate of the latest motion is deemed 'very important,' as failure to allow it could lead both parties back to litigation and appeals.
Bill Morgan, a prominent attorney, highlighted the significance of the current motion for settlement in the Ripple-SEC case.
An earlier joint motion for a ruling on the settlement was rejected by Judge Torres due to procedural flaws and pending appeals at the Second Circuit.
The latest joint motion mentions 'exceptional circumstances,' such as the SEC shifting its approach towards crypto enforcement under a new chairman.
The SEC's stance on crypto regulation changed after the appointment of crypto-friendly Paul Atkins following Donald Trump's presidency.
The recent move to release funds from escrow indicates a potential resolution in the Ripple-SEC case after years of legal wrangling.
Both parties are seeking to avoid additional litigation and reach a settlement in the high-profile legal saga.
The proposed settlement represents a significant development in the ongoing dispute, with implications for Ripple and the broader crypto industry.
The potential resolution could have implications for future regulatory clarity surrounding digital assets like XRP.
The evolving dynamics in the Ripple-SEC case underscore the shifting landscape of crypto regulation in the United States.