Ripple and SEC Reach Settlement, Clearing Regulatory Fog

The joint motion, filed in the Southern District of New York, also seeks to lift Ripple's injunction and release $125 million in escrowed penalties.

The joint motion, filed in the Southern District of New York, also seeks to lift Ripple’s injunction and release $125 million in escrowed penalties. If approved by Judge Analisa Torres, this settlement could mark the final chapter in a saga that began in December 2020.

As part of the agreement, Ripple will pay $50 million in penalties, while the remaining $75 million will be returned to the company. The SEC initially sought $2 billion, making the final figure a significant reduction. The XRP lawsuit outcome follows Judge Torres’ prior ruling that XRP sales on public exchanges did not constitute securities transactions—a landmark decision in the broader crypto regulation debate.

The SEC has filed a settlement letter in its lawsuit against Ripple, signaling a potential end to the long-running case. Source: JackTheRippler via X

In tandem with the legal breakthrough, the appointment of Paul Atkins as the new SEC Chair has brought a friendlier tone toward crypto. Atkins, sworn in last month, has pledged to build a “firm regulatory foundation” that allows innovation to flourish. This shift in regulatory climate bodes well for the Ripple ecosystem and the broader crypto market.

Ripple Price Strengthens Amid Risk-On Sentiment

Following the legal update, the Ripple XRP price has shown signs of bullish continuation. XRP is currently trading around $2.31, consolidating gains from earlier in the week. Market watchers attribute the uptrend to a combination of legal clarity and a revived risk-on sentiment, further strengthened by the Fed’s decision to hold interest rates steady and President Trump’s recent trade agreements.

According to CoinGecko, the total crypto market cap has climbed to $3.175 trillion, with all top 10 digital assets—including XRP—posting gains. Bitcoin’s surge above $100,000 has reignited optimism across the board, and altcoins like XRP are benefitting from the renewed momentum.

Santiment data reveals a notable uptick in whale accumulation. Addresses holding between 10 million and 100 million XRP have grown their holdings from 10.47% in February to 12.22%—a 1.75% increase that signals growing investor confidence in XRP’s value.

XRP Price Prediction: Analysts See $4.85 on the Horizon

Prominent crypto analyst EGRAG Crypto believes XRP could be on the verge of a significant breakout, with $4.85 as the next target. This prediction stems from historical price models, where XRP has shown the capacity for rapid, parabolic runs in previous market cycles.

A crypto analyst predicts XRP could surge to $4.85, replicating a past rally from its $0.2870 cycle low. Source: EGRAG CRYPTO via X

EGRAG outlined five such historical rallies, the most recent of which saw XRP jump to the $3 range in early 2025—an increase he had already predicted. The next milestone in his model is $4.85, based on a 1,563% rally from XRP’s cycle low of $0.2870. “This rally is coming very soon,” he stated, emphasizing that XRP could replicate its 2020–2021 run in the current market climate.

The analyst also mentioned further upside potential, including a speculative long-term target of $27, should the token mirror its most explosive historical run.

Technical Indicators Support Bullish Case

XRP’s current technical setup favors EGRAG’s bullish outlook. The token is fighting a crossover resistance at $2.21 formed by the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages. A strong breakout above the region would open the door for a thrust toward $3.00 and then $4.85.

XRP price has recently broken the $2.20 resistance and reclaimed its position above $2.30. Source: Gun45 on TradingView

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has turned higher above the 70-level, validating short-term bullish momentum. In addition, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) line has moved above its signal line, another classic buy signal.

Options and derivatives markets also reflect rising bullish sentiment. Open Interest (OI) for XRP futures has increased by 2.46%, while options OI surged by over 20% in the last 24 hours, suggesting a renewed influx of capital and confidence.

However, not all signals are green. The SuperTrend indicator remains above XRP’s price, signaling potential resistance in the near term. A failure to flip this indicator could lead to a short-term pullback, with potential support levels at $2.21 and $2.00.

Broader Market and Regulatory Shifts Could Fuel Rally

Macro factors are also helping shape XRP