Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have submitted a joint motion to temporarily suspend their appeals in the enduring dispute over XRP, suggesting that they are moving closer to a possible settlement.
In a court filing dated April 10, both entities requested a 60-day abeyance, citing ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving the matter amicably.
“An abeyance would conserve judicial and party resources while the parties continue to pursue a negotiated resolution of this matter,” reads the filing.
Remarks from Ripple CEO Indicate Imminent Change in SEC Proceedings
The recent filing aligns with statements made in March by Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, who indicated that the case might be reaching its conclusion.
This development has sparked speculation that the SEC is potentially delaying a final settlement until its new chair, Paul Atkins, takes office.
Ripple’s attorney, James Filan, confirmed that the abeyance request overrides the previous April 16 deadline set for Ripple’s response to an SEC brief submitted in January.
“The settlement is pending commission approval. No brief will be filed on April 16,” Filan noted on X.
#XRPCommunity #SECGov v. #Ripple #XRP The parties have filed a joint motion to hold the appeal in abeyance based on the parties’ agreement to settle. The settlement is awaiting Commission approval. No brief will be filed on April 16th. pic.twitter.com/OVKPCIh43H
— James K. Filan 
(@FilanLaw) April 10, 2025
The SEC’s decision to halt its appeals has led some legal experts to interpret this as a sign that the agency may be poised to abandon its case under new leadership.
One member of the community pointed out that a settlement brokered by Atkins could signify a “huge win,” potentially altering the SEC’s stance on cryptocurrency regulation.
Atkins was confirmed by the Senate as the SEC Chair on April 9; however, his official swearing-in date remains uncertain.
For reference, former SEC Chair Gary Gensler took office three days after his confirmation in 2021, which indicates that Atkins could begin his role as early as April 12.
The XRP litigation, initiated in December 2020, has been among the most scrutinized legal conflicts within the cryptocurrency sector.
Shift in Regulatory Approach Reflects Changing Leadership
The SEC’s recent transformation in approach under President Donald Trump signals a comprehensive reassessment of the agency’s regulatory stance on digital assets.
On April 5, SEC official Mark Uyeda announced that, following Trump’s deregulation initiatives and guidance from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk, the SEC will be revisiting seven prior staff-issued statements, five of which are related to cryptocurrencies.
Statement from Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda: Pursuant to Executive Order 14192, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, together with recommendations from DOGE, I have requested Securities and Exchange Commission staff promptly to review the following staff statements.
— U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (@SECGov) April 5, 2025
Among the documents under scrutiny is a 2019 framework from the SEC’s FinHub, which evaluated when digital asset sales might qualify as investment contracts according to the Howey test.
Other statements being reassessed pertain to various risk factors linked to Bitcoin futures, crypto custody, and the widespread bankruptcies that occurred in 2022.
Notably, the SEC announced new guidelines on April 4, classifying certain fiat-backed stablecoins as “non-securities,” effectively exempting them from transaction reporting obligations.
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