XRP Army's Secret Weapon: How 4,000 Holders Secured Ripple's SEC Win!

On July 13, 2026, the XRP community marked a significant milestone, celebrating three years since Judge Analisa Torres issued a pivotal summary judgment decision in the SEC v. Ripple case. This ruling, which came three years prior to this celebration, declared that XRP itself is not a security. Specifically, Judge Torres held that Ripple's sales of XRP through secondary trading platforms did not constitute securities transactions, while its direct sales to institutional investors did.

This anniversary was highlighted by key figures within the XRP ecosystem. Vet, a validator and director of community at the XRP Ledger Foundation, took to X (formerly Twitter) to commemorate Judge Torres's ruling. He underscored its importance, stating it represented a major turning point and the beginning of the end of the SEC's prolonged legal actions against the crypto industry.

Further emphasizing the community's impact, CryptoLaw founder John Deaton detailed how XRP holders played a crucial role in the Ripple v. SEC case. Deaton, who was granted leave to file an amicus brief representing the interests of nearly 76,000 XRP holders, presented compelling evidence to the court. These holders consistently asserted their belief that XRP is not a security.

Deaton provided several key pieces of evidence to demonstrate the direct influence of the XRP community. Firstly, Judge Torres cited the amicus brief filed by Deaton. While acknowledging that other amicus briefs were also cited, Deaton pointed to this as a clear indication of their impact. Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, when ruling that "XRP itself is not a security," Judge Torres explicitly cited the nearly 4,000 XRP holder affidavits that had been submitted in the case. It is noteworthy that out of thousands of exhibits presented, only several dozen were cited in her final summary judgment decision, with the XRP holder affidavits being among them.

Thirdly, Judge Torres referenced an oral argument made by Deaton to a Federal Judge in the LBRY case, which pertained to secondary market sales of digital assets – a direct parallel to a key aspect of the Ripple case. Finally, Deaton highlighted that his amicus brief had specifically requested the court to affirmatively declare XRP itself not a security, asserting it is nothing more than digital code. Judge Torres directly addressed and affirmed this point in her summary judgment, solidifying the XRP community's substantial influence on the landmark decision.