The long-running legal battle between Ripple and the SEC is facing new delays, leading to growing frustration among crypto experts and legal analysts. Unlike the swift conclusion of other SEC lawsuits, the Ripple case continues to drag on, raising questions about why the process of dismissing the SEC’s appeal is taking so long.
Attorney Bill Morgan has questioned whether SEC Chair Paul Atkins can get the commissioners to vote on dismissing the appeal and if the agency’s lawyers are prepared to file the necessary paperwork.
Former SEC lawyer Marc Fagel provided more context, explaining that the delay stems from a failed settlement attempt. Ripple and the SEC had previously agreed to terms that would have dismissed the appeal, but the deal was contingent on the court removing an injunction and reducing the penalty against Ripple. When the court rejected this proposal, both parties had to restart the dismissal process from scratch.
According to Fagel, if Ripple had simply accepted the original court ruling without asking for changes, the appeal would have been dismissed months ago. Now, the process is stuck in the SEC’s slow internal approval procedures, which may require a second vote from the commissioners. Fagel believes the delay suggests the previous vote, which occurred before Atkins became chair, did not cover a full dismissal of the case.
Even though both sides seem ready to move on, the appeal cannot be officially dismissed until a new vote is held, keeping the legal proceedings active.
August 2025, Cryptoniteuae
