XRP News Today: ETF Hopes Rise, But SEC Appeal Clouds XRP Outlook

XRP Stagnates as SEC Stays Silent on Appeal Strategy

On Saturday, February 22, XRP gained 0.19%, partially reversing the Bybit-triggered 4.40% slide on Friday to close at $2.5767. XRP underperformed the broader market, which rose 1.01%, taking the total crypto market cap to $3.14 trillion.

The SEC’s continued silence on its Ripple case appeal strategy left XRP lagging behind the broader market.

Regulatory Uncertainty Looms Over XRP

Since Gary Gensler’s departure, the SEC has held several closed meetings and established the Crypto Task Force. Recent enforcement actions suggest a shifting regulatory stance. The SEC:

• Dismissed its case against Coinbase (COIN).
• Withdrew its appeal against rulings in the Blockchain Association and Crypto Freedom Alliance of Texas (CFAT) case.
• Jointly requested stays in the Binance and Lejilex cases, delaying proceedings until April, citing leadership changes and the Crypto Task Force’s involvement.

Despite these legal maneuvers, the SEC has remained silent on its January 15 appeal-related opening brief challenging the Programmatic Sales of XRP ruling. The lack of clarity has drawn increasing scrutiny from the crypto community.

Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terrett weighed in on the situation, highlighting the complexity of the Ripple case:

“On Ripple, as Cherry Empress notes, it’s more procedurally complex than Coinbase because they already have an order from Judge Torres at the district level to pay the $125M penalty. Torres, according to the final judgment, will retain jurisdiction over the case for a year (until August 7, 2025) to make sure the terms of the order are met.”

Regarding the SEC’s options, Terrett added:

“While the SEC could choose to drop the appeal at the Second Circuit, they would also need to figure out how to approach the district court and possibly come to an agreement on the penalty ruling (reduce or ask to drop) and presumably get Torres’s blessing as the presider. There’s a degree of uncertainty in all of this because, as one legal source tells me: “We are in uncharted territory right now.”

XRP Price Trends: Appeal Strategy and XRP-Spot ETFs in Focus

XRP’s trajectory hinges on two key factors: the SEC’s appeal strategy and potential XRP-spot ETF approvals.

• If the SEC withdraws its appeal, XRP could rally past its $3.5505 all-time high, with $4 as the next target.
• A withdrawal combined with XRP-spot ETF approval would further boost investor sentiment.
• However, XRP could fall toward $1.50 if the SEC continues its appeal.

The SEC’s ETF decisions could also depend on its appeal strategy. With final deadlines in October, the agency has time to delay its ETF reviews. A withdrawal of the appeal would pave the way for XRP-spot ETFs, improving market confidence. However, approving ETFs while the appeal remains unresolved might create uncertainty among institutional investors.

XRP Price Action

Daily Chart

After the Bybit-fueled sell-off, XRP sits below the 50-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), while holding above the 200-day EMA. The EMAs send bearish price signals.

If XRP breaks above the 50-day EMA, the bulls may target $3 next. A return to $3 could signal a move toward the January 16 high of $3.3999. Favorable Ripple case-related news may bring the all-time high of $3.5505 into sight.

Conversely, a drop below $2.5 may enable the bears to target the $1.9299 support level and the February 3 low of $1.7024 next.

With a 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) reading of 45.83, XRP could fall to the $1.9299 support level before entering oversold territory (RSI below 30).

Market Outlook: Uncertainty Remains a Headwind

XRP’s price trajectory remains closely tied to regulatory developments, particularly the SEC’s appeal decision. However, broader macroeconomic factors, including US tariffs and Fed policy shifts, could impact investor sentiment.

Trump’s election win and hopes for an end to the Ripple case drove XRP to a January high of $3.3999. However, US tariff tensions and a more hawkish Fed stance sent XRP to a February 3 low of $1.7938 before rebounding above $2.5.

Investors should closely monitor SEC actions, as any decision on the Ripple appeal or XRP-spot ETFs could trigger XRP’s next major price move.

View our latest technical and legal analysis here.