XRP Army Credited With Helping Ripple Defeat SEC

Crypto lawyer John Deaton and Ripple executives pointed out that XRP holders’ affidavits, research, and grassroots activism were instrumental in strengthening Ripple’s fair notice defense and giving the court visibility into the case’s wider impact. Judge Analisa Torres even cited XRP holder submissions in her ruling, which concluded that XRP itself is not a security. While the token soared to a record $3.65 in July, XRP has since cooled and is currently trading at $2.83.

XRP Army Shaped Ripple’s Case

Ripple Labs’ long-running legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officially ended last month after both parties agreed to drop their appeals. This put an end to the case which began in 2020. 

The SEC accused Ripple of selling its XRP token as an unregistered security, but Judge Analisa Torres’ 2023 ruling determined that only some XRP transactions could be classified as securities, setting the stage for the eventual conclusion. Now, with the dust settled, many in the crypto community are crediting XRP tokenholders—who are referred to as the “XRP Army”—for playing a major role in shaping the outcome.

Crypto lawyer John Deaton, who became a central figure in representing XRP holders during the case, argued that their involvement was decisive. He pointed out that over 2,000 exhibits were filed, including affidavits and amicus briefs from XRP holders, which Judge Torres explicitly cited in her ruling. Deaton said this provided undeniable proof that retail investors’ voices influenced the court. 

Ripple executives agreed with this. Deputy general counsel Deborah McCrimmon even mentioned how XRP supporters helped uncover speeches and public statements from regulators that boosted Ripple’s fair notice defense. She explained that while Ripple never asked for this assistance, the grassroots efforts saved the company potentially thousands of dollars in legal work and provided critical context showing the case’s impact beyond Ripple itself.

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The XRP Army’s activism extended far beyond court documents. Over the years, they lobbied regulators, submitted affidavits, launched petitions, and organized coordinated social media campaigns. Deaton said this collective action proved that while one person might not be able to shift the outcome alone, one person can inspire many, and together they can drive change.

XRP price action over the past month (Source: CoinMarketCap)

Market reactions to the case have been mixed. XRP surged 72% immediately after Judge Torres’ 2023 ruling, and more recently spiked to a record high of $3.65 in July amid speculation about a final resolution. However, after briefly touching $3.35 when news of the appeals being dropped surfaced, the token has cooled and is currently trading at $2.83.