Ripple, a leading player in the cryptocurrency space, has recently released its quarterly XRP Markets Report, emphasizing the company’s commitment to transparency and open communication in the crypto sphere. This report offers a detailed perspective on Ripple’s stance on the crypto markets, the XRP Ledger, and related developments in the past quarter.
The report reveals several key insights from the crypto markets during the third quarter of the year. Throughout this period, the crypto market displayed less sensitivity to macroeconomic influences and a more pronounced focus on industry-specific news and capital flows. Notably, the correlation between Bitcoin (BTC) and the S&P 500 reached historic lows at 0.23, and XRP exhibited a low correlation of 0.16 during the same timeframe.
The market encountered formidable challenges in the form of protocol hacks, rug pulls, and scams, resulting in substantial losses of approximately $686 million. These incidents, combined with ongoing volatility and uncertainties in traditional markets, led to decreased trading volumes, with BTC experiencing a three-year low and XRP volumes nearing a four-year low.
XRP trading activity primarily occurred on non-US exchanges such as Binance, OKX, and Upbit. Following a pivotal US court ruling in July, declaring XRP as not a security, several US exchanges, including Coinbase and Kraken, relisted the token. Challenger exchanges that emphasized regulatory compliance garnered an increased market share.
SEC Lawsuit Dismissal Of Charges Against Ripple CEO
The spotlight then shifts to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit against Ripple. On October 19, the SEC dismissed all remaining charges against Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Executive Chairman Chris Larsen, marking a significant victory for Ripple.
The dismissal, “with prejudice,” means that these charges cannot be brought back in the future. It follows the legal determination that XRP is not a security and the rejection of the SEC’s bid for an interlocutory appeal.
Global regulatory developments were also in focus. While the US grappled with regulatory uncertainty, Asian regulators took the lead in providing guidance. Singapore’s MAS granted Ripple a major payments institution license, and the UK’s FCA called on crypto businesses to align with new financial promotions rules. The G20 pushed for a cross-border framework for crypto.
Regarding the XRP Ledger, Ripple introduced significant features to promote innovation and enhance trust and safety. These include an automated market maker (AMM) and a cross-chain bridge, enabling XRP to move between XRPL Mainnet and a sidechain.
On-chain activity on the XRP Ledger’s DEX experienced significant growth in Q3, driven by substantial trading volume on specific days. Ripple also provided data on its XRP holdings, revealing that the company holds a considerable amount in escrow lockups, which “will be released each month over the next 42 months.”
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