Judge rejects SEC’s motion to file an appeal against Ripple ruling
District court judge Analisa Torres has rejected the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) motion to appeal its loss against Ripple Labs, the company responsible for issuing the XRP (XRP) token.
In an Oct. 3 court order, Judge Torres denied the SEC’s motion, claiming that regulator failed to meet its burden to show that there were controlling questions of law or that there were substantial grounds for differences of opinion on the matter.
“The SEC’s motion for certification of interlocutory appeal is denied, and the SEC’s request for a stay is denied as moot.”
Notably, the decision isn’t an outright loss for the regulator, as judge Torres scheduled a trial for April 23, 2024 to address the remaining issues on the matter.
The price of XRP surged nearly 6% immediately following the news, according to data from TradingView.
On July 13, Judge Torres ruled partially in favor of Ripple, declaring that retail sales of the XRP token did not meet the legal definition of a security. The court did find however, that Ripple had violated securities laws by selling XRP tokens directly to institutional investors.
Following the ruling, the SEC announced that it would be seeking an appeal of the decision, writing in a seperate lawsuit that certain portions of the case were “wrongly decided” and that it would be seeking further review.
Ripple Labs and the SEC but did not provide an immediate response to request for comment by Cointelegraph at the time of publication.
This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.
Investments in Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) rebounded to levels last seen in January, signaling a recovery in investor sentiment from concerns about global trade tariff escalations.
US spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs had over $912 million worth of cumulative net inflows on April 22, marking their highest daily investment in more than three months since Jan. 21, Farside Investors data shows.
“Bitcoin ETPs just saw the largest daily inflows since 21st January in a dramatic improvement in sentiment,” according to James Butterfill, head of research at CoinShares.
Related: Bitcoin still on track for $1.8M in 2035, says analyst
Investor sentiment appeared to improve after US President Donald Trump said that import tariffs on Chinese goods will “come down substantially,” adopting a softer tone in negotiations.
The de-escalation and growing ETF inflows pushed Bitcoin price above $93,000 for the first time in seven weeks, Cointelegraph reported on April 23.
The growing institutional investment and presence of ETFs may also accelerate the historic four-year cycle and bolster BTC to new highs before the end of 2025, analysts told Cointelegraph.
US dollar weakness may reinforce Bitcoin’s safe-haven appeal
The US dollar’s weakness may contribute to the growing investor demand for Bitcoin.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the strength of the greenback against a basket of leading fiat currencies, has declined 9% since the beginning of 2025, touching a three-year low of 98.8 last seen in April 2022, TradingView data shows.
“Macro factors like a weakening dollar and rising gold correlation” may reinforce Bitcoin’s appeal as a hedge against economic volatility, Ryan Lee, chief analyst at Bitget Research, told Cointelegraph.
Related: Crypto, stocks enter ‘new phase of trade war’ as US-China tensions rise
Bitcoin no longer trading in the “shadow of tech”
Crypto and traditional stock markets are “walking a tightrope between political drama and economic reality,” with Bitcoin staging a significant rebound thanks to “strong ETF inflows, institutional acquisitions, and a weakening US dollar,” according to Nexo dispatch analyst Iliya Kalchev:
“Bitcoin’s strength amid dollar weakness, record gold prices, and renewed institutional buying reflects a market recalibrating what safety looks like.”
“The conversation has clearly shifted. Bitcoin is no longer trading in the shadows of tech — it’s becoming a lens through which macro uncertainty is priced,” he added.
Nansen CEO Alex Svanevik also praised Bitcoin’s resilience, noting that the maturing asset has become “less Nasdaq — more gold” in the past two weeks, increasingly acting as a safe haven asset against economic turmoil, though concerns over economic recession may limit its price trajectory.
On April 21, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes predicted that this might be the “last chance” to buy Bitcoin below $100,000, as the incoming US Treasury buybacks may signal the next significant catalyst for Bitcoin price.
Magazine: Bitcoin’s odds of June highs, SOL’s $485M outflows, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 2 – 8
Binance is set to implement new compliance measures for South African users, requiring sender and receiver information for all crypto deposits and withdrawals.
In an announcement on April 23, the largest exchange in terms of daily trading volume of cryptocurrencies said the move comes in response to local regulatory demands.
Starting April 30, Binance users in South Africa will be prompted to provide additional information when transferring crypto.
For deposits, users must disclose the sender’s full name, country of residence, and, if applicable, the name of the originating crypto exchange. Similarly, withdrawals will require beneficiary details before processing.
The update will only impact crypto deposits and withdrawals, leaving trading and other platform features unaffected.
Related: US judge transfers Binance lawsuit to Florida, citing first-to-file rule
Missing transfer details may reverse transactions
Binance warned that failure to provide the required information may result in delayed transactions or, in some cases, a return of funds to the sender.
In preparation for the rollout, users will need to re-login to their accounts starting April 24.
The change comes as South Africa moves to boost oversight of the rapidly moving crypto sector.
On April 2, Bloomberg reported that South Africa’s Revenue Service (SARS) is urging individuals, crypto exchanges and intermediaries involved in crypto transactions to register with the authority, warning that failure to do so is now illegal.
In March, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa issued a public warning against two unlicensed crypto firms, Afriinvest and Mutualwealth, accusing them of soliciting investments while promising unrealistic returns of up to 10,000 rand ($542) per day.
Related: Binance, KuCoin, MEXC report service issues due to AWS network interruption
South Africa pushes to become key crypto hub
Emerging economies across Africa, particularly South Africa, are positioning themselves as potential digital asset hubs amid growing regulatory clarity, Ben Caselin, chief marketing officer (CMO) of Johannesburg-based crypto exchange VALR, told Cointelegraph in September 2024.
Caselin said that South Africa’s strong legal framework and ease of business make it a key entry point for crypto expansion across the continent.
The South African crypto market is projected to generate $278 million in revenue in 2025, with expectations to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.86% and reach $332.9 million by 2028, according to Statista.
Regulatory momentum is increasing, with the FSCA approving 59 crypto platform licenses in March 2024, while over 260 applications remain under review.
Cointelegraph contacted Binance for comments but did not receive a response by publication.
Magazine: Former Love Island star’s tips on how to go viral in crypto: Van00sa, X Hall of Flame
Robert Jenrick has vowed to “bring this coalition together” to ensure that Conservatives and Reform UK are no longer fighting each other for votes by the time of the next election, according to a leaked recording obtained by Sky News.
The shadow justice secretary told an event with students last month he would try “one way or another” to make sure Reform UK and the Tories do not compete at another general election and hand a second term in office to Keir Starmer in the process.
In the exclusive audio, Mr Jenrick can be heard telling the students he is still working hard to put Reform UK out of business – the position of the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick. Pic: PA
However, more controversially, the comments also suggest he can envisage a time when that position may no longer be viable and has to change. He denies any suggestion this means he is advocating a Tory-Reform UK pact.
Follow the latest politics news here
The shadow justice secretary came second to Mrs Badenoch in the last leadership contest and is the bookies’ favourite to replace her as the next Conservative leader.
Robert Jenrick lost the Tory leadership contest to Kemi Badenoch. Pic: PA
Speaking to the UCL Conservative association dinner in late March, he can be heard saying: “[Reform UK] continues to do well in the polls. And my worry is that they become a kind of permanent or semi-permanent fixture on the British political scene. And if that is the case, and I say, I am trying to do everything I can to stop that being the case, then life becomes a lot harder for us, because the right is not united.
“And then you head towards the general election, where the nightmare scenario is that Keir Starmer sails in through the middle as a result of the two parties being disunited. I don’t know about you, but I’m not prepared for that to happen.
“I want the fight to be united. And so, one way or another, I’m determined to do that and to bring this coalition together and make sure we unite as a nation as well.”
This is the furthest a member of the shadow cabinet has gone in suggesting that they think the approach to Reform UK may evolve before the next general election.
Last night, Mr Jenrick denied this meant he was advocating a pact with Reform UK.
Read more:
Badenoch dismisses ‘threat’ from Jenrick
Your ultimate guide to the local elections
A source close to Mr Jenrick said: “Rob’s comments are about voters and not parties. He’s clear we have to put Reform out of business and make the Conservatives the natural home for all those on the right, rebuilding the coalition of voters we had in 2019 and can have again. But he’s under no illusions how difficult that is – we have to prove over time we’ve changed and can be trusted again.”
Mrs Badenoch has said in interviews that she cannot see any circumstances that the Tories under her leadership would do a deal with Reform UK.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. Pic: PA
In next week’s local elections, Reform UK will compete directly against the Tories in a series of contests from Kent to Lincolnshire. At last year’s general election, in more than 170 of the 251 constituencies lost by the Conservatives the Reform vote was greater than the margin of the Tories’ defeat.
Today’s YouGov/Sky voting intention figures put Reform UK in front on 25%, Labour on 23% and the Conservatives on 20%, with the Lib Dems on 16% and Greens on 10%.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway