Legal certainty and ecosystem expansion do not succeed in lifting XRP's flat price

Ripple Technologies has completed its $125 million settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), officially ending a protracted legal dispute that lasted five years. Despite this resolution, XRP’s price has not improved, as highlighted by a notable cryptocurrency attorney. The payment, which was finalized on August 18, 2025, and delivered to the U.S. Treasury, eliminates legal ambiguity as a reason for XRP's lagging performance, according to pro-XRP lawyer Bill Morgan. “With the lawsuit now settled, that justification for XRP’s sluggish price or lack of new adoption is no longer valid,” Morgan remarked, pointing to the settlement as an important moment for the market

landscape. Nevertheless, even with regulatory issues resolved, XRP has yet to recover from its 75% drop in value from April 2021 to October 2024, with recent figures showing a 4.85% decrease in the last day, trading at $2.85 Ripple Settles 5-Year SEC Lawsuit With $125M Payment as XRP… [ 1 ].

The SEC’s settlement brought restrictions on institutional XRP sales while maintaining important distinctions between retail and institutional dealings, which many believed would spark price growth. However, XRP’s price response has been subdued. This lack of movement comes even as trading volumes surged to $8.17 billion in a single day, indicating robust sell-side activity Ripple Settles 5-Year SEC Lawsuit With $125M Payment as XRP… [ 1 ]. Market analysts suggest this is due to broader market sentiment rather than legal overhang, as the token has not reacted to positive news such as the approval of the first U.S. spot XRP ETF or the spread of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin Ripple’s Legal Ends with $125M Payment, XRP Price Still Stagnant [ 3 ].

Despite price stagnation, Ripple’s ecosystem continues to expand. RLUSD, Ripple’s stablecoin introduced in December 2024, has entered the African market through collaborations with fintech companies like Chipper Cash and Yellow Card, channeling $700 million into cross-border payment networks Ripple Settles 5-Year SEC Lawsuit With $125M Payment as XRP… [ 1 ]. RLUSD’s market capitalization now stands above $729 million, showing increasing adoption in regions where stablecoins are heavily utilized. In addition, Japan’s financial industry is moving to incorporate XRP into its infrastructure, with close to 80% of Japanese banks expected to use the token for cross-border transfers by 2025. Major financial player SBI Holdings has set up a 2.5 billion yen ($17 million) XRP treasury, demonstrating institutional trust in the asset Ripple’s Legal Ends with $125M Payment, XRP Price Still Stagnant [ 3 ].

New advances in decentralized finance (DeFi) further illustrate XRP’s growing utility. The Flare Network has introduced a stablecoin backed by XRP on its

V2 platform, aiming to boost on-chain liquidity and expand DeFi applications Ripple’s Legal Ends with $125M Payment, XRP Price Still Stagnant [ 3 ]. These initiatives highlight Ripple’s ongoing efforts to increase XRP’s practical use beyond speculative trading.

Even though legal challenges have been addressed, XRP’s price future is still unclear. The coin’s inability to benefit from regulatory certainty and ecosystem growth has led to doubts about demand and investor confidence. Whale monitoring services have observed large XRP transactions, including a $415 million move in September 2025, which may indicate upcoming market changes Pro-XRP Lawyer: Ripple-SEC Lawsuit No Longer Excuse for XRP Flat Price [ 4 ]. Still, as there is no direct evidence linking these transfers to price movements, the short-term outlook for XRP remains cautious.