Ripple’s long-running battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ended last month, and crypto lawyer John Deaton says the “XRP Army” deserves credit for tipping the scales in Ripple’s favor.
In 2020, the SEC filed charges against Ripple, claiming that it was selling XRP as an unregistered security. In July 2023, Judge Analisa Torres decided that XRP sales on exchanges were not a security, but certain institutional sales were in fact a securities violation.
After years of appeals and legal wrangling, both sides finally dropped their challenges in August 2025, officially closing the case.
XRP Holders Stepped Up for Ripple
Deaton, who represented XRP tokenholders, said thousands of investors helped shape the outcome. “No credible person can argue that the XRP Army didn’t make a difference in the Ripple case,” he wrote on X.
No credible person can argue that the XRP Army didn’t make a difference in the Ripple case. If they do they’re either ignorant to the facts and truth or intentionally lying. We have conclusive evidence that we made a difference. There were over 2K exhibits filed in the case. In… https://t.co/WK2MfOb6wS
— John E Deaton (@JohnEDeaton1) September 3, 2025
He explained that over 2,000 exhibits, including affidavits from XRP holders, were filed in court, and Judge Torres even cited them in her ruling.
Ripple executives agree. Deborah McCrimmon, Ripple’s deputy general counsel, praised the XRP community for providing crucial research. “I could have paid lawyers thousands of dollars, literally thousands of dollars,” to do what the XRP Army did for free, she said on The Penta Podcast.
Their work supported Ripple’s fair notice defense, which argued the SEC never gave clear guidance on crypto regulation.
From Courtroom to Market Impact
The case not only made legal history but also shook the markets. After the July 2023 ruling, XRP surged 72%, climbing from $0.47 to $0.81. Ahead of the final settlement in August 2025, it rallied again, hitting a record high of $3.64 before cooling. Currently, XRP trades around $2.85, up about 0.43% in the last 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap.
For Deaton, the lesson is simple, “One person can inspire many people, and together, they can make a difference.”
Also Read: XRP ETF Approval Odds Surge to 87% as Price Consolidates at $2.80