XRP has returned to the regulatory spotlight as new legal claims surface, challenging its classification amid recent institutional gains. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed a fresh lawsuit listing XRP as an unregistered security alongside tokens such as ADA, AVAX, AAVE, UNI, and LINK.
The renewed scrutiny arrives just as XRP gains traction with major financial institutions. CME Group recently announced the launch of XRP futures trading, scheduled for May 19, 2025. This positive sign from institutional players comes as legal pressure increases in the market.
John Deaton, who represented XRP holders during the high-profile SEC case against Ripple, has reacted publicly to the claims. According to his comments, the criticism of XRP as a scam and its treatment as a security misrepresents both the asset and broader regulatory dynamics.
Deaton pointed out that supporting Bitcoin or Ethereum should not justify the broad dismissal of XRP. He emphasized that categorizing all XRP as a security, regardless of how it was acquired, is a flawed legal argument.
Deaton explained his opposition to SEC regulatory decisions by focusing on equity instead of showing allegiance to the organization. Despite having most of his holdings in Bitcoin, he maintains that XRP has been unfairly targeted within inconsistent regulatory frameworks.
XRP Faces Renewed Regulatory Questions Amid Institutional Support
The lawsuit adds another layer to XRP’s complex legal history, even as it moves toward mainstream integration through CME’s future product. Legal analysts suggest that listing XRP in the new lawsuit could impact upcoming decisions regarding approving a spot ETF.
Coinbase and other defendants considered the lawsuit a misdirected enforcement action. Paradigm’s Justin Slaughter identified the lawsuit as extending too far by targeting several prominent tokens in its broad scope.
Ripple’s supporters defend better legal rules and standards while the debate intensifies. The case again places XRP at the center of the ongoing discussion of crypto regulation in the United States.
Conclusion
XRP’s momentum toward institutional legitimacy now runs parallel to renewed legal scrutiny. The asset has continued its position in the evolving crypto landscape because high-profile voices defend it while regulatory pressure grows.