Institutions Quietly Pile Into XRP and Solana Ahead of Ripple SEC Verdict, Says Bitget

The long-running lawsuit between crypto-native firm Ripple and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is drawing to a close, and investors are taking note. Although the case is as good as closed, technicalities are preventing full resolution.

A U.S. federal judge has rejected a joint request by Ripple Labs and the SEC to approve a reduced US$50 million (AU$76.7 million) settlement in their civil lawsuit. Judge Analisa Torres criticised both parties for attempting to bypass her permanent injunction against Ripple’s violation of securities laws.

Nevertheless, most observers believe that with a now crypto-friendly SEC, it’s only a matter of time before the case finally ends.

Related: XRP Holders Warned as Ripple Co-Founder Chris Larsen Moves 50M Tokens to Exchanges

Altcoin ETF Approval Odds Strong, Investors Believe

Data from Bitget show that investors are increasingly betting on XRP and the approval of related exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which are also under review by the SEC. It’s not only XRP; Solana, as another major altcoin, is also receiving significant attention.

Ryan Lee, Chief Analyst at Bitget, told Crypto News Australia in an emailed statement that “renewed ETF speculation and legal clarity surrounding Ripple’s SEC lawsuit resolution in March 2025 are significant catalysts driving XRP toward the $3 mark”.

The Bitget analysts see rising institutional interest and ETF speculation as key drivers behind bullish momentum in XRP and Solana. While macroeconomic risks remain, they note:

Solana, meanwhile, is gaining traction from ecosystem growth and payment adoption, with near-term targets of US$200–US$250 (AU$306-AU$383). Both assets are seen as fundamentally resilient despite regulatory and market uncertainties.

Waters Still Choppy for XRP, Says Analyst

James Toledano, Chief Operating Officer at Unity Wallet, said that “waters are a little choppy” for XRP, given its lower price compared to Bitcoin, which makes price swings more violent.

But, he also noted that “XRP is regaining momentum as ETF optimism and legal clarity converge”, adding that “Institutional confidence has strengthened since Ripple’s partial legal win in March, and futures products like ProShares’ UXRP are fueling speculation about a potential spot ETF becoming a reality.”

Related: XRP a ‘Different Network’ as Retail Traders Exit and Big Players Take Over

Toledano suggests that a softer SEC stance and rising institutional inflows are strengthening XRP’s legitimacy and liquidity, making a continued rally plausible despite recent volatility and liquidations.

With the SEC maintaining a softened posture, many see a structural step forward for XRP’s legitimacy in U.S. markets. Despite recent volatility and $105 million in liquidations, improving liquidity, growing institutional flows, and ETF-driven optimism are aligning, making a continued rally plausible if inflows and optimism continue to converge.

James Toledano, Chief Operating Officer at Unity Wallet

XRP Up by Over 400% In the Past Year

At the time of writing, XRP remains firmly in third spot by market cap, with US$185.3 billion (AU$284.1 billion) and a current trading price of US$3.12 (AU$4.78). The coin is down around 3.4% over the past 24 hours and 12% over the past week, though remains up 43% over the past month and 417% over the past 12 months.