• Ripple and the SEC pause proceedings, awaiting new SEC Chair Paul Atkins to finalize a settlement.
• XRP rallies 13% as Ripple expands with Hidden Road acquisition and eyes U.S. banking partnerships.

Ripple [XRP] and the SEC are hitting the pause button.

In a legal saga that’s lasted longer than most crypto bull runs, both sides have agreed to a truce, with the SEC now on the clock to deliver a key report within sixty days.

While courtroom tensions ease, XRP is gaining momentum, surging 13% this week as Ripple expands its institutional strategy, fueling speculation about potential partnerships with major U.S. banks.

Ripple and the SEC hit pause, but…

Ripple and the SEC have agreed to pause their cross-appeal proceedings, granting an additional sixty days to finalize a long-awaited settlement.

While progress has been steady, one critical factor remains: the settlement requires approval from Paul Atkins, the SEC Chair appointed by President Donald Trump.

Although Atkins has cleared his confirmation hearings, his formal swearing-in is still pending, a procedural hitch that could delay resolution.

Once sworn in, Atkins is expected to greenlight the agreement, bringing an end to one of the crypto industry’s most closely watched legal battles. Until then, Ripple, and the SEC remain in a holding pattern, pens poised.

The road ahead for Ripple

With legal proceedings on hold, investors are now focused on Ripple’s aggressive expansion strategy—and the market is reacting.

XRP surged 13% this week, driven by a broader equity rally after the Trump administration’s temporary tariff halt and Ripple’s acquisition of Hidden Road, a prime brokerage serving over 300 institutional clients.

This move could funnel billions in daily transactions toward the XRP Ledger, amplifying real-world utility. Ripple’s global payment network continues to gain traction, and speculation around future XRP ETFs is heating up.

Strategic partnerships, like the recent tie-up with Chipper Cash, show Ripple’s ambition. Still, a potential breakthrough with major U.S. banks could mark XRP’s most pivotal growth moment yet.

XRP’s price outlook