XRP News Today: SEC Silence Pressures XRP Below $2.25; Bitcoin Dips Amid Whale Activity
By Bob Mason | July 5, 2025
SEC Silence Leaves XRP in Legal Limbo
XRP traded below the $2.25 mark this week as uncertainty looms over the ongoing legal battle between Ripple and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Ripple investors are growing increasingly cautious as the SEC has remained silent regarding its appeal against the court ruling on the Programmatic Sales of XRP, prolonging market hesitation.
Despite Ripple’s announcement on June 27 to drop its cross-appeal in hopes of closing the legal chapter, the SEC has yet to respond formally. The commission also refrained from commenting on Judge Analisa Torres’ repeated rejections of joint motions seeking an indicative ruling on potential settlement terms.
XRP’s price has suffered accordingly, remaining significantly below its 2025 peak of $3.3999 and the 2018 all-time high of $3.5505, as recorded on Binance Exchange.
On July 3, the SEC conducted its usual weekly closed meeting — a crucial moment where Chair Paul Atkins and the commissioners could vote on whether to finally drop the appeal without an indicative ruling on settlement terms. Market watchers anticipate a potential announcement following the next closed meeting scheduled for July 10. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse expressed optimism regarding the situation, stating, “Ripple is dropping our cross-appeal, and the SEC is expected to drop their appeal, as they’ve previously said. We’re closing this chapter once and for all, and focusing on what’s most important – building the Internet of Value. Lock in.”
Scrutiny Over SEC’s Crypto Regulatory Approach
The SEC’s approach to digital assets continues to draw criticism. Former SEC enforcer John Reed Stark recently took to national media channels to challenge SEC Chair Paul Atkins on the agency’s inconsistent regulatory stance, particularly regarding meme coins.
Stark highlighted a paradox where the SEC claims to protect investors, yet openly states that meme coins are not securities and thus fall outside of regulatory protections, leaving investors vulnerable under a “buyer beware” principle.
He argued, “The Stark reality is that the SEC cannot protect investors in meme coins or any other so-called digital assets because the SEC has decided, despite an avalanche of case law to the contrary, that digital assets are not securities.”
This pivot marks a departure from the previously aggressive posture on crypto taken by former Chair Gary Gensler and the Biden administration, clouding the likelihood of the SEC pursuing further appeals in cases like Ripple’s if it regards digital assets as outside its jurisdiction.
XRP Price Outlook Hinges on SEC Appeal and ETF News
On July 4, XRP price tumbled 1.65%, retreating to $2.2219 after rebounding slightly the previous day. This decline echoed a broader 1.78% drop in the overall cryptocurrency market, which stands at a $3.28 trillion market cap.
Technical analysts suggest that a sustained breakout above the $2.25 resistance could set XRP on a path toward retesting June 30’s high at $2.3275 and possibly the May peak near $2.6553. Overcoming these thresholds might unlock further momentum towards the $3 to $3.40 range.
Conversely, failure to hold above the 50-day exponential moving average (EMA) could see XRP revisit key supports near the 200-day EMA or the critical $1.9299 level.
Investors will be closely watching not only the SEC’s appeal movements but also developments around U.S.-based XRP spot Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), which could provide fresh catalysts in either direction.
Bitcoin Experiences Dip as Massive Satoshi-Era Wallets Move
Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC) faced downward pressure amid unusual activity from long-dormant holders. Blockchain analytics firm Arkham reported that $8.6 billion worth of BTC, originating from wallets created in 2011, was transferred to new addresses within a day. These coins had remained untouched for over 14 years.
This sudden activation raised concerns over potential oversupply hitting the market, especially at the psychologically significant price level of $110,000. Alpha Lions Academy founder Edo Farina commented on the market’s reaction: “Markets are already in panic mode because 8 dormant Satoshi-Era BTC Wallets reactivated after 14 years, moving a total of $8.6 billion in BTC.”
US BTC-Spot ETFs Continue to Attract Investor Inflows
Despite the whale activity, Bitcoin’s supply-demand balance remains supported by sustained inflows into U.S. BTC-spot ETFs. Data from Farside Investors revealed weekly net inflows amounting to $769.5 million for the fourth consecutive week.
Noteworthy fund flows included:
- BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT): +$336.8 million
- Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC): +$248.4 million
- ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB): +$160 million
Conversely, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) experienced outflows totaling $84.9 million.
ETF Store President Nate Geraci commented on IBIT’s dominance: “The nearly $75 billion iShares Bitcoin ETF has had only one month of outflows since its January 2024 launch and now generates more fee revenue for BlackRock than its largest ETF, the iShares S&P 500 ETF. Simply a machine.”
Since inception, IBIT has seen $52.646 billion in net inflows, effectively offsetting GBTC’s $23.333 billion of net outflows, resulting in a collective net inflow of $49.622 billion for the market. FBTC ranks second with $12.218 billion in net inflows.
Bitcoin Price Outlook: Market Awaits Key Economic and Regulatory Signals
On July 4, Bitcoin closed at $108,097 after slipping 1.42%, reversing a modest gain the previous day. The near-term price action will likely be influenced by U.S. economic data releases, Federal Reserve policy updates, legislative developments, and ongoing ETF flow trends.
Analysts emphasize that market direction remains uncertain, warranting close attention to macroeconomic and regulatory headlines that could either trigger bullish momentum or deepen bearish pressure.
For continuous updates on XRP, Bitcoin, and broader cryptocurrency markets, stay tuned to FXEmpire’s crypto news coverage.