A wave of speculation hit crypto X this week after reports claimed the final ruling in the SEC vs Ripple case could be delayed until late 2026. That timeline would represent a major extension in what has already been one of the longest-running legal battles in crypto history.
The concern centers around the ongoing appeal process tied to the summary judgment decision issued by Judge Analisa Torres last year. In that ruling, the court found that XRP sales to institutional investors did violate securities laws, but programmatic sales to the public did not. It was seen as a partial win for both sides.
Since then, Ripple and the SEC have been working toward a settlement that would avoid further appeals and bring the case to a close. Earlier this year, the parties reached an agreement on a $50 million penalty. They also jointly requested the appeals process be paused to allow time for Judge Torres to issue what’s called an “indicative ruling” – a procedural step required to send the case back from the Court of Appeals to the trial court for final resolution.
So far, the process has taken a few detours. The first joint motion was denied on procedural grounds, but a second one was filed on June 12. The next key step will be whether Judge Torres grants that indicative ruling. If she does, the case can proceed to the final motions and a potential end – likely within the next few months.
However, if the judge denies the second motion or the process breaks down for any reason, both sides would resume their full appeals. That could drag the case deep into 2026 or beyond, especially given the complexity and backlog in federal courts.
Still, pro-XRP lawyer Bill Morgan thinks that outcome is unlikely.
This is not on the cards unless Judge Torres rules against the latest joint motion and rather that make the common sense decision to live with the summary judgement decision and the current penalty and permanent injunction, the settlement process breaks down completely and both… https://t.co/K6iU3OfQ4y
— bill morgan (@Belisarius2020) June 23, 2025
“This is not on the cards,” Morgan wrote on X in response to the 2026 rumors. “Unless Judge Torres rules against the latest joint motion and the settlement process breaks down completely, this delay won’t happen.”
He added that the “common sense decision” is for both sides to accept the current outcome – summary judgment, the agreed penalty, and the permanent injunction against Ripple’s institutional sales – and move forward.
For now, all eyes are on Judge Torres. If she grants the latest motion soon, the SEC vs Ripple saga could finally reach a close before the end of 2025. But if the process unravels, the court fight that began in December 2020 could stretch well into a new election cycle – and a very different crypto regulatory environment.
Read also: Bitcoin’s Official X Account Trolls XRP, Reigniting Community Feud
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for daily crypto updates, market insights, and expert analysis.
