SEC Seeks $2 Billion Fine from Ripple Labs

The U.S. SEC has proposed a $1.95 billion penalty against Ripple Labs and has requested a New York court to evaluate the seriousness of the company's actions. Through a proposed final judgment submitted to Judge Analisa Torres on Monday, the SEC is pushing for a fine that includes disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty. The SEC's main argument is focused on the severity and prevalence of Ripple's alleged misconduct, stressing the importance of sending a strong message as a deterrent to Ripple and other entities considering public capital raising through unregistered crypto-asset transactions. Ripple has been in disputes with the SEC for years following accusations of unregistered securities transactions. A recent ruling favored Ripple in certain XRP sales but upheld the SEC's claims on direct sales to institutional investors. The current dispute is centered on these direct institutional sales, with the SEC alleging that Ripple earned nearly $1 billion unlawfully. This action is believed to undermine the regulatory requirement for securities transactions to be registered, endangering the financial market's legal structure. Ripple's response to the SEC's approach and penalties has been critical, describing them as misleading and punitive. Ripple plans to submit a formal response by April 22, as directed by the SEC.