Yesterday's courtroom developments sent shockwaves through the crypto community as Ripple's legal battle took an unexpected turn in connection with the ongoing Terraform Labs' lawsuit. In a surprising twist, the court rejected U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres' previous decision that Ripple had not violated securities laws by selling XRP.
While Do Kwon and Terra seemed to be the focal point, it drew attention to the Ripple and XRP saga. The SEC, currently pursuing a lawsuit against Terraform Labs and its cofounder, seized the opportunity to challenge Judge Torres' ruling in the Ripple case, indicating they may file an appeal.
Missing point
The news sparked an uproar, particularly among the XRP community and Ripple representatives. Stuart Alderoty, the crypto company's chief legal officer, was quick to clarify the situation. Without directly quoting him, Alderoty emphasized that the recent ruling in the Terra case had no impact on the established verdict that XRP was not a security. He stated that the Ripple ruling was grounded in a comprehensive factual record developed over two years, while the Terra case was just beginning, leaving room for the SEC's allegations to be initially accepted by the court.
1/ The Terra case is just starting and that Judge has to accept everything that the SEC alleges as true (for now). Our ruling came after a full factual record (developed over 2+ years) was presented to the Court.
— Stuart Alderoty (@s_alderoty) July 31, 2023Advertisement
Alderoty also pointed out that the Terra judge may have misunderstood the reasoning behind the Ripple judge's decision, specifically regarding the involvement of secondary market traders. According to the officer's statements, these traders cannot be considered investors if they lack crucial information about the parties they are transacting with.
This ongoing legal drama has raised numerous questions and stirred speculation within the crypto community. Experts and enthusiasts alike are closely monitoring the situation, as the outcome of the Terra case and the potential appeal by the SEC may have significant ramifications for the broader cryptocurrency industry.