Ripple is making headlines with two significant developments: its ongoing legal battle with the SEC and potential plans to launch a EUR-pegged stablecoin. These events highlight Ripple's strategic maneuvers in the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency landscape, showcasing both challenges and opportunities.
1- Ripple's Legal Battle with the SEC Nearing Conclusion
Ripple's CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, recently stated in an interview with Bloomberg that the company's legal battle with the SEC is expected to end "very soon". Despite this optimistic outlook, Garlinghouse refrained from discussing rumored settlement talks and acknowledged the difficulty in predicting the exact end date of the lawsuit.
The XRP token, associated with Ripple, experienced a notable price rally earlier this week due to settlement rumors. However, these gains were short-lived after reports emerged that a private meeting between Ripple and the SEC had been canceled. This legal struggle has been ongoing for over three years, costing Ripple more than $150 million.
Garlinghouse emphasized the significance of this case for the entire cryptocurrency industry and stressed the need for regulatory clarity. He criticized the SEC's approach of "regulation through enforcement," stating that it is not an effective solution. Garlinghouse believes that most players in the crypto industry are willing to comply with regulations and follow the rules.
2- Potential Launch of a EUR Stablecoin
With the adoption of the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) in the EU, Ripple might be compelled to launch its own EUR-pegged stablecoin. MiCA imposes restrictions on non-EUR stablecoins, limiting their daily transactions and overall market cap. These regulations could make it challenging for Ripple's USD-pegged stablecoin to meet the demand in cross-border remittances.
Ripple community activists and other enthusiasts have suggested that Ripple's EUR stablecoin could address these regulatory challenges. The XRP token could also play a significant role in this new framework. Ripple's involvement with the Digital Euro Association (DEA) as a supporting partner further underscores its commitment to contributing to the development of stablecoin initiatives in Europe.
Currently, EUR-pegged stablecoins constitute a small portion of the market. For instance, the largest Euro stablecoin, Stasis Euro, has a market capitalization of $137 million. In contrast, Tether's and Circle's EUR-centric products have a combined market cap of $70 million, which is significantly lower than their USD-pegged counterparts.
Ripple's recent announcement of its USD-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD, indicates the company's broader stablecoin ambitions. This new asset, backed by cash and its equivalents, is designed to complement XRP rather than compete with it as a tool for cross-border transfers. The price of XRP has seen a recent uptick, reflecting growing investor confidence.
3- XRP Price Prediction And Analysis
XRP price has seen a recent upward trend over the past week, making it the best week this month, reaching highs of $0.63 and trading now at the highest levels similar to back in March, where it peaked at around $0.75, despite the current conservative market in its corrective state.
![By TradingView - XRPUSD_2024-07-21 (1M)](https://cryptoticker-strapi-media.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/XRPUSD_2024_07_21_1_M_c5971dc3d8.png)
With the current trading levels for the XRP price and the positive developments surging, optimism is high for the XRP price making a surge highly expected for the XRP price, and potential new peaks for 2024 could be on the horizon if all goes as planned. The first step to this would be for XRP price to surpass $0.63, if so, chances get higher of reaching its March highs of trading over $0.70, but chances are higher for this to happen later than during July.
Ripple is navigating through significant legal and regulatory challenges while also exploring new opportunities in the stablecoin market. The outcome of its legal battle with the SEC will have far-reaching implications for the cryptocurrency industry, while the potential launch of a EUR-pegged stablecoin could position Ripple as a key player in the European market. As Ripple continues to adapt to regulatory changes and market demands, it remains at the forefront of innovation in the fintech space.