Ripple chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty has shared insights on the future of the cryptocurrency landscape in 2024. He discussed predictions about Ripple’s legal dispute with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the judiciary’s influence on crypto regulations and potential legislative challenges in the U.S. Congress.
Alderoty predicts the possible resolution of Ripple’s lawsuit with the SEC in 2024, and he cautions against the SEC’s persistent “regulation by enforcement” strategy, highlighting its potential consequences for the crypto industry.
Alderoty predicts a significant role for the judiciary in curbing SEC overreach, suggesting that ongoing legal conflicts could escalate to a confrontation in the U.S. Supreme Court.
On regulations, Alderoty expects U.S. lawmakers to agree on the need for crypto regulations. However, he expects a deadlock in implementation, which could leave U.S. crypto firms vulnerable while other countries advance in regulatory clarity and innovation.
The SEC filed a lawsuit against Ripple Labs and its current and previous CEOs in 2020. The SEC alleged that the executives held an initial public offering of XRP (XRP), which it claims was an unregistered security at the time. According to the lawsuit, Ripple raised funds by selling XRP tokens in unregistered security offerings to investors in the U.S. and worldwide.
However, in July, Ripple scored a legal victory against the SEC, as a judge granted summary judgment in favor of Ripple Labs, ruling that the XRP token is not a security but only in regard to programmatic sales on digital asset exchanges.
However, the SEC also managed to notch a victory of its own, as the federal judge ruled that XRP is a security when sold to institutional investors, as it met the conditions set in the Howey test. Major U.S. exchanges have since relisted XRP, sparking an impressive 83% year-to-date surge in the token’s value.
Crypto analysts and fans argue that Ripple’s legal clash with the SEC hindered its growth and acceptance in the United States. Pro-XRP attorney John Deaton asserted that the lawsuit was weaponized, stating that evidence from the past three years supports this claim. Despite Ripple’s global success, he says the case harmed XRP adoption in the United States.
He was expected to be deported, but instead of being handed over to immigration officials he was released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday.
He spent just under 48 hours at large before he was apprehended.
The accidental release sparked widespread alarm and questions over how a man whose crimes sparked protests in Epping over the use of asylum hotels was able to be freed.
Ms Mahmood said: “Last week’s blunder should never have happened – and I share the public’s anger that it did.”
Image: Anti-asylum demonstrators in Epping, Essex. Pic: PA
On Sunday, Justice Secretary David Lammy said an exclusive Sky News interview will be used as part of an independent inquiry into the mistaken release.
Speaking to Sky’s national correspondent Tom Parmenter, a delivery driver who spoke to Kebatu at HMP Chelmsford described him as being “confused” as he was being guided to the railway station by prison staff.
The migrant is said to have returned to the prison reception four or five times before leaving the area on a train heading to London.
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‘My family feels massively let down’
Mr Lammy, who put Kebatu’s release down to human error, said he ordered an “urgent review” into the checks that take place when an offender is released from prison, and new safeguards have been added that amount to the “strongest release checks that have ever been in place”.