A US federal court has issued a final ruling confirming that XRP is not a security when sold to retail investors on open markets, bringing the years-long legal battle between Ripple Labs and the SEC to a definitive close.
The ruling concluded that “programmatic sales of XRP to retail purchasers in the secondary market do not constitute investment contracts under the Howey test.” Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse called it “a watershed moment for the entire crypto industry.”
Coinbase announced within hours of the ruling that it would relist the token. Kraken, Gemini, and eToro followed within days. Analysts estimated the collective relisting on major US platforms could add $2–4 billion in daily XRP trading volume.
XRP surged over 40% in the week following the ruling before consolidating. At its peak, the token briefly reclaimed the $2.70 level — its highest price in three years. Institutional investors who had avoided XRP due to regulatory uncertainty are reportedly reexamining the asset.
