Ripple and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been closely followed by crypto enthusiasts and investors, with many hoping for a swift resolution. However, recent insights from legal experts suggest that the case might not reach its conclusion until 2025, with a potential shift in the SEC’s leadership playing a key role in the timeline.

Ripple Misses Deadline, But Legal Experts Remain Optimistic

Ripple Labs, the company behind the cryptocurrency XRP, recently missed a significant deadline in its ongoing legal fight with the SEC. Despite this setback, pro-XRP lawyer James Murphy has downplayed the issue, stating that it is “no big deal.” He and other legal experts believe that while the delay is notable, it does not drastically impact the overall outcome of the case. According to Murphy, the case’s timeline could still extend well into 2025, but the eventual resolution remains promising for Ripple.

Murphy’s assessment aligns with the broader view that the Ripple case is part of a larger wave of crypto-related legal battles that may take years to resolve fully. As many as 18 months remain for key decisions, with Ripple’s appeal over whether secondary market trades of XRP are considered securities still in play.

Could SEC Leadership Change the Outcome?

The future of the Ripple-SEC case, along with several other high-profile crypto-related lawsuits, could hinge on potential changes in SEC leadership. There is growing speculation that Gary Gensler, the current chairman of the SEC, might resign soon due to increasing pressure, especially from political circles. This speculation has led some to believe that President Donald Trump, if re-elected, may appoint a more crypto-friendly SEC chair.

If Trump selects a new SEC head, figures like Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda could play pivotal roles. Both Peirce and Uyeda have expressed more favorable views toward cryptocurrency and could advocate for a more lenient stance on regulatory enforcement. Peirce, in particular, is known for her belief that many of the SEC’s current cases against crypto projects, including Ripple, are based on flawed legal reasoning. As a potential future chairman, she could move to halt or dismiss several of these ongoing cases, possibly bringing an end to the SEC’s aggressive pursuit of crypto firms.

What’s Next for the Ripple Case?

The future of the Ripple-SEC case—and others like it—remains uncertain, but there are several potential scenarios for how things could play out.

1. Dismissal or Settlement: With a change in SEC leadership, the agency could quickly move to settle or dismiss cases that it deems unworthy of further pursuit. This could include actions against major platforms like Coinbase, where the SEC is challenging the classification of certain crypto tokens as securities.

2. Continued Enforcement: If Congress does not act swiftly to create clear regulations, the SEC could continue its enforcement actions against crypto companies. This could mean that cases like Ripple’s could drag on for years. If new laws on cryptocurrency classification and regulation are introduced, it could lead to additional delays.

3. A Stay of Proceedings: Another possibility is that courts could pause the current legal proceedings while they await clear regulations from Congress. This would leave the Ripple case—and other crypto-related lawsuits—in a holding pattern until a legal framework for cryptocurrencies is established.

Trump’s Potential Impact on Crypto Regulation

If former President Trump is re-elected, his stance on cryptocurrency regulation could significantly influence the direction of the Ripple case and the broader crypto landscape. Legal experts like Jeremy Hogan predict that Trump would likely bring in a new SEC chair who would work quickly to dismantle the existing crypto-related cases, including the high-profile fight with Ripple.

Trump’s administration could also push for more crypto-friendly regulations, favoring innovation and investor protections over strict regulatory enforcement. This could be a turning point for the entire cryptocurrency sector, which has long faced uncertainty in the U.S. regulatory environment.

Final Thoughts: 2025 in Focus

The Ripple-SEC case may be far from over, but legal experts believe that 2025 could mark the year when many of these cases are finally resolved. The possibility of new leadership at the SEC under a future Republican administration could be the key to accelerating the resolution of these cases.

For Ripple, this means that while the immediate future may be uncertain, the company’s prospects could improve significantly depending on how the political and regulatory landscape evolves. With the increasing adoption of cryptocurrencies globally, Ripple’s case could serve as a defining moment in the broader battle over how digital assets will be regulated in the U.S.