SEC reaches settlement with Ripple, Ripple to pay $50 million fine

Odaily News On May 8, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) formally submitted a settlement agreement with Ripple Labs and its executives Bradley Garlinghouse and Christian Larsen, bringing an end to the legal dispute that lasted for four and a half years. According to the agreement, both parties will jointly request the court to lift the ban on Ripple in the August 7, 2024 ruling and release the funds in the $125 million fine escrow account - $50 million of which will be paid to the SEC and the remaining $75 million will be returned to Ripple.
The agreement also stipulates that if the court agrees to lift the ban, the parties will withdraw the cross-appeal currently being heard by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The SEC emphasized that the settlement is intended to promote the reform of its crypto regulatory framework, rather than an endorsement of the substantive claims of the case, and does not constitute a precedent for other cases.