XRP News Today: $2.30 Key Amid SEC Appeal Headwinds; BTC Hits $110k on Demand Boost

SEC vs. Ripple: Appeal Uncertainty Keeps XRP Under Wraps

XRP remained under pressure as uncertainties about the SEC vs. Ripple case intensified since the May 15 court ruling. Judge Analisa Torres denied an SEC request for an indicative ruling on settlement terms. These terms included lifting the injunction prohibiting XRP sales to institutional investors and reducing the $125 million penalty.

For Ripple and XRP, vacating the injunction could be crucial. The SEC requested the injunction to impact Ripple’s US expansion, ultimately preventing XRP adoption at the institutional level, including through On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) sales.

Significantly, the May 15 ruling exposed XRP to the risk of the SEC progressing its appeal against the Programmatic Sales of XRP ruling. In July 2023, Judge Analisa Torres ruled that programmatic sales of XRP did not satisfy the third prong of the Howey Test. A reversal could prompt US exchanges to delist XRP to avoid SEC oversight.

However, Ripple would likely appeal a reversal, potentially taking the case to the US Supreme Court. While a Ripple victory at the Supreme Court would give legal precedent, the growing uncertainty could significantly affect XRP demand.

Notably, XRP tumbled from a high of $2.6507 before the May 15 court ruling to $2.2659 by May 25, reflecting legal uncertainties. Despite earlier pressure, XRP now hovers around $2.3, reflecting cautious investor optimism.

Following Judge Torres’ May 15 ruling, the SEC would need to file a second request, addressing the procedural error and offering a compelling argument that lifting the injunction and reducing the penalty serves the public and institutions.

XRP Price Outlook: Legal Risks in Focus

XRP dropped 1.37% on Monday, May 26, reversing Sunday’s 0.57% gain to close at $2.3104. The token underperformed the broader market, which gained 0.21%, taking the total crypto market cap to $3.38 trillion.

XRP’s near-term outlook hinges on court decisions and XRP-spot ETF-related updates.

Technical support sits at $2.26. A break above the May 12 high of $2.6553 could signal a move toward $3.00, with the potential to reach the record high of $3.5505.

For a deeper dive, see our full XRP forecast here.

Bitcoin Gets A Michael Saylor Lift

While XRP remains exposed to legal uncertainties, institutional demand for Bitcoin (BTC) continues to grow. On Monday, May 26, MicroStrategy (MSTR) Chairman Michael Saylor announced the firm’s latest crypto purchase, stating:

“Strategy has acquired 4,020 BTC for ~$427.1 million at ~$106,237 per bitcoin and has achieved BTC yield at 16.8% YT 2025. As of 5/25/2025, we hodl 580,250 BTC acquired for ~$40.61 billion at ~$69,979 per bitcoin.”

BTC climbed to a session high of $110,465 in response to the news before easing back.

John E. Deaton, Amicus Curiae attorney in the Ripple case, commented:

“By now Saylor’s goal is quite clear: to own 1 BTC (or even 1 Sat) more than Satoshi.”

As of May 19, Nakamoto Satoshi held 1,123,500 BTC, while BlackRock (BLK) had 636,108 BTC, ranking it the second largest BTC hodler behind Satoshi.

BTC Price Outlook: Legislation and ETF Trends

BTC advanced 0.33% on May 26, following Sunday’s 1.15% rally to close at $109,453. Notably, BTC extended its winning streak to three sessions. Monday’s upswing came despite the US BTC-spot ETF markets closing for the US Memorial Day holiday.

The short-term price trajectory depends on legislative developments, trade headlines, macroeconomic indicators, and ETF inflows.

Potential scenarios:

• Bearish Scenario: Rising trade tensions, legislation roadblocks, US recession fears, and ETF outflows could drag BTC below $100,000.
• Bullish Scenario: Easing trade tensions, upbeat economic data, Bitcoin Act progress, and ETF inflows could drive BTC above the record high of $112,912 to target $115,000.

What to Watch

Investors should monitor legal developments in the Ripple case, crypto legislative news from Washington, and key US economic indicators. These factors will likely dictate broader market sentiment and determine whether XRP and BTC can target recent highs.

Explore analyst forecasts on where XRP and BTC may head next amid legal and political tailwinds.