- Ripple has successfully resolved its legal dispute with GCC Exchange, ending the conflict over non-compliance with payment obligations for 40,000 XRP transfers.
- The outcome of the SEC case is crucial, as a favorable resolution could potentially open the door for investment managers to pursue spot XRP ETF.
Leading cryptocurrency payments firm Ripple has successfully resolved its legal dispute with global money transfer service provider GCC Exchange. While the news was initially shared by GCC Director Yash Rajesh earlier this year, it was recently highlighted by prominent XRP community member “WrathofKahneman” in a tweet.
The conflict arose when Ripple filed a lawsuit against GCC Remit in July 2023, alleging non-compliance with payment obligations for 40,000 XRP transfers valued at over $15 million. The dispute was linked to GCC’s utilization of Ripple’s On-demand Liquidity (ODL) solution for cross-border settlements.
Under a supply agreement established in 2022, Ripple transferred the XRP to GCC. However, GCC breached the terms of the agreement by failing to settle outstanding invoices related to the 40,000 XRP transfers.
As a response, Ripple initiated legal proceedings in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales, seeking payment for outstanding invoices and compensation for accumulated late fees.
In a positive turn of events, Rajesh revealed that both parties had reached a confidential settlement to conclude the lengthy legal battle. Rajesh clarified in a recent interview with openPR that the agreement was made “with no admission of liability.”
With the lawsuit now resolved, GCC Exchange can refocus on its strategic objectives and continue providing global money transfer services. The future use of Ripple’s solution or XRP for cross-border payments by GCC remains uncertain.
Ripple vs. SEC – An Uphill Battle
The conclusion of the GCC lawsuit marks a positive development for Ripple, reducing the number of ongoing legal battles by one. Nonetheless, the company remains entangled in litigation against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a group of XRP investors led by Vladi Zakinov.
While Ripple is actively managing these legal challenges, particular emphasis is placed on the SEC lawsuit, given its potential significant impact on the company’s operations within the United States.
The outcome of the SEC case carries implications, with market analysts and prominent journalists suggesting that a favorable resolution could open the door for investment managers to pursue an XRP spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) application with the regulatory body.
In a notable development from the previous year, Ripple secured a partial victory against the SEC when a federal court ruled that its programmatic sales and other distributions of XRP did not qualify as investment contracts. However, the court also determined that Ripple’s historical direct institutional sales of XRP were in violation of securities law. The ongoing legal landscape continues to shape the regulatory environment for Ripple and the broader cryptocurrency market.
