The legal battle between Ripple and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has felt like a never-ending saga for the crypto community. Just when it seemed like both sides were ready to wrap things up, a surprise twist delayed the process yet again.
A Curveball from Judge Torres
According to pro-XRP lawyer John Deaton, both Ripple and the SEC had agreed to settle the case. The SEC dropped its appeal regarding XRP’s secondary sales on exchanges, and Ripple agreed to settle its cross-appeal concerning institutional sales and a hefty $150 million fine. The plan was to reduce the fine to $50 million and lift the injunction restricting Ripple’s institutional sales.
LIVE NOW! Tune in as @JohnEDeaton1 breaks down Judge Torres’ decision to deny the SEC/Ripple Motion for Settlement.
The parties then asked Judge Analisa Torres for an indicative ruling — essentially a heads-up on how she would rule if the case was sent back to her from the appeals court.
But in a move no one expected, Judge Torres denied the motion. She pointed out procedural issues and said that the parties hadn’t addressed the “heavy burden” required to convince the court that lifting the injunction was in the public’s best interest.
Why the Judge Might Be Frustrated
Deaton explained that Judge Torres’ refusal wasn’t just about legal technicalities. After years of intense courtroom battles, mountains of paperwork, and over $250 million spent between both sides, the judge might be frustrated at the SEC’s sudden change of heart — essentially dropping its case after tying up the court’s resources for so long.
The judge is asking both sides to explain why lifting the injunction serves the public good, especially since her original ruling found Ripple’s institutional sales violated securities laws.
What Happens Next?
So, how long until this finally ends? According to Deaton, the case isn’t deadlocked — but it has hit another “speed bump.”
He believes both Ripple and the SEC will now have to submit a joint brief making their case to Judge Torres. Ripple’s institutional clients are sophisticated investors like banks and hedge funds — not retail traders harmed by the sales.
#XRPCommunity#SECGov v. #Ripple#XRP Judge Torres has denied the parties’ motion for an indicative ruling. “If jurisdiction were restored to this Court, the Court would deny the parties’ motion as procedurally improper.” pic.twitter.com/4s95ILvzsy
If they can convince the judge that dissolving the injunction aligns with public interest and regulatory clarity, Deaton thinks she’ll eventually approve the settlement.
How Long Will It Take?
Deaton estimates it could still take a few more months before the XRP vs SEC case is fully resolved. “Ultimately, this is just another speed bump along the way,” he said. Once Judge Torres is satisfied, the case would go back to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, get officially remanded to her, and the final settlement terms would be approved.
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Cardano price is floating above the $0.62 level on Sunday April 20, down 0.7% on the daily candle. However, derivatives trading signals observed over the weekend suggest recent Trump comments from Founder Charles Hoskinson are unlikely to impact ADA price action negatively in the week ahead
Cardano Bulls Cluster Around $0.60 Support as Charles Hoskinson Hints at Strained Trump Relationship
Over the weekend, ADA price action has been notably resilient, holding above the critical $0.60 support level.
This comes on the heels of an exclusive interview where Charles Hoskinson dismissed the importance of forging ties with the Trump administration.
Cardano Price Action, April 20 | Source: Coingecko
Despite being excluded from a recent White House crypto summit, Charles Hoskinson claims that the Cardano team has not established a close relationship with the Trump administration.
“I don’t need to make a deal with Trump,” Hoskinson told DL News during Paris Blockchain Week, downplaying the perceived political snub.
Notably, other crypto leaders such as Brian Armstrong (Coinbase) and Michael Saylor (MicroStrategy) met with Trump and top crypto advisors David Sacks and Bo Hines. In reference, Hoskinson emphasized that U.S. political proximity may offer optics but lacks long-term impact.
Cardano left out of Trump-backed Crypto Projects?
When Trump included ADA among five cryptocurrencies in his crypto strategic reserve proposal back in March 2025, it sparked optimism across the Cardano ecosystem.
Many hoped this would signal increased support from the Trump administration. However, a month later, while other crypto projects are actively aligning with U.S. political influencers, Cardano appears to have been sidelined.
Founder Charles Hoskinson remains unfazed in his latest interview, emphasizing that political proximity may offer short-term visibility but rarely leads to sustainable outcomes.
In contrast, Trump-backed WLFI recently unveiled plans to launch a USD1 stablecoin on Ethereum and BNB Chain, while also making strategic investments in tokens like Tron and Chainlink.
The Cardano community has taken note of ADA’s absence from these high-profile initiatives, sparking debate over why one of the industry’s most actively developed blockchains is being left out of Trump-linked crypto endeavors.
Cardano Derivatives Volumes Cross $700M as Markets Lean Bullish
Despite the political headlines surrounding Charles Hoskinson’s remarks, market participants are seemingly more focused on price action than policy drama.
Derivatives trading data over on Sunday April 20, reveals a optimistic, risk-tolerant stance from ADA traders.
As depicted in the Coinglass chart above, the total ADA derivatives trading volume surged by 8.62% to $716.28 million, while open interest edged up to $635.27 million up 1%.
Cardano Derivative Market Analysis, April 20 | Source: Coinglass
The increase in Open Interest matches up to the 1.2% downswing in Cardano spot prices on the day. This signals that bull traders are actively defending their positions to prevent a break down below the $0.60 price level.
What’s more telling is the behavior of traders across top exchanges. On Binance, the long/short ratio sits at 2.19, while OKX shows even more aggressive positioning with a ratio of 2.62, meaning more than two longs for every short. Among top traders, that bullish tilt remains intact, with long-to-short account ratios over 2:1 and position ratios still firmly long-biased.
This accumulation of leveraged long positions suggests that both retail and institutional participants are eyeing a move higher — possibly in anticipation of a breakout past the local resistance at $0.65, or simply confidence in ADA’s technical foundation above $0.60. However, the growing appetite for leverage comes with its own risks.
Cardano Price Analysis For the Week Ahead
Looking ahead, Cardano price outlook suggests bulls may face major stress tests to defend the $0.60 level. Howevrr, if bulls can maintain control and defend against cascading long liquidations, ADA could build enough momentum to challenge $0.65, potentially opening the door to a run toward $0.70.
But failure to hold that line could quickly dampen confidence, potentially sending ADA prices spiraling back toward $0.55.
Cardano Technical Price Analysis Today: Bulls Eye $0.65 as $0.60 Support Holds Steady
Cardano (ADA) enters the week with its price consolidating around $0.6203, where the 4-day SMA acts as immediate resistance. The flattening yellow 4-SMA line hovering near the current price reflects indecision, while the longer-term 60-SMA, sitting significantly higher at $0.7092, reinforces the presence of a persistent macro downtrend. Still, the tight price action and low volatility suggest an imminent breakout is in play.
The BBP (Bollinger Band Percent) currently prints at -0.0088, hinting at compressed volatility and a price trading slightly below its average range — often a precursor to explosive moves. Volume remains subdued at 46.4M, but this may indicate accumulation under resistance rather than a lack of interest.
Cardano Technical Price Analysis Today
If bulls maintain price stability above $0.60, this could build enough structural momentum to pierce the $0.65 level, a threshold that aligns with recent intra-range resistance.
In the broader market context, Bitcoin’s price forecast today leans neutral-bullish, showing range-bound strength above $83,000 in each of the last days of trading. This sets a supportive backdrop for ADA price outlook in the week ahead.
However, failure to hold $0.60 may expose ADA to cascading liquidations, potentially dragging price back toward $0.55. The week ahead will be crucial as volatility returns to the crypto majors.