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The tug of war between Ripple and the SEC lasted four years, plunging the crypto market into growing uncertainty. Thus, investors remained skeptical, while XRP faced constant pressure on its legitimacy. Against all odds, the SEC dropped its lawsuits, a decision seen as a historic victory for Ripple and a decisive turning point for its native token. The SEC accused Ripple of having sold XRP as an unregistered security, an allegation that weighed on the crypto ecosystem since December 2020. However, a major turning point occurred in July 2023, when a federal judge ruled that XRP could not be considered a security in the majority of transactions. This decision put the SEC in a difficult position, which ultimately chose to put a definitive end to the trial in March 2025. Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, commented on the subject: “the case is over”, before adding that this victory rehabilitates the image of XRP and the crypto industry as a whole. The consequences were immediate: Such a surge could redefine XRP’s place in the crypto landscape, but the path to market dominance remains fraught with challenges. While some observers believe that XRP could compete with Ethereum, the reality of the market calls for caution. Thus, Sid Powell, CEO of Maple Finance, emphasizes that this legal victory stabilizes the regulatory future of the token, but the real battle is fought elsewhere. Indeed, Ethereum massively dominates decentralized finance (DeFi) with a Total Value Locked (TVL) of $114 billion, while XRP still struggles to establish itself in this realm. The power of Ethereum lies in its solid ecosystem, which hosts smart contracts, decentralized applications, and advanced staking solutions, while Ripple remains primarily focused on cross-border payments. Nevertheless, XRP has strategic advantages. Its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) service recorded $30 billion in transactions in 2023 and continues to attract major partnerships, notably with Standard Chartered Bank and MoneyGram. “This decision could restore confidence among investors and institutions, boosting Ripple’s adoption,” says Ryan Lee, analyst at Bitget Research. However, to truly worry Ethereum, XRP will need to broaden its scope beyond payments and delve deeper into DeFi and smart contracts. The end of the conflict between Ripple and the SEC marks a regulatory victory for the entire crypto ecosystem, reinforcing the legitimacy of these assets in the eyes of authorities. However, the possibility that XRP dethrones Ethereum remains highly hypothetical, unless there is massive adoption by financial institutions and a strategic shift towards DeFi. Nevertheless, this decision offers Ripple a unique opportunity: to redefine its positioning and leverage this new climate of trust to accelerate its development.

The Bank of Korea (BOK) is planning to start a large-scale trial of its central bank digital currency (CBDC), called “Hangang.” Starting in April 2025, the program consists of 100,000 participants who will be able to access digital tokens as an alternative to regular financial transactions, according to Korea Times . Seven main South Korean banks—including KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, NH NongHyup, BNK Busan Bank, and Industrial Bank of Korea—are helping to conduct the trial. Participants will be able to trade balances from their regular bank accounts for digital tokens throughout the three-month trial period ending in June. These tokens can subsequently be used at several partner stores like Ediya Coffee, Kyobo Bookstore, Hanaro Mart, and 7-Eleven. Furthermore, accepted payments with the system will be e-commerce sites like Hyundai Home Shopping. Its usefulness is limited, though. With a total transaction limit of five million won over the trial, each person can only possess a maximum of one million won (about $690) in digital tokens at any one time. Given this restriction, the BOK seeks to make sure CBDC use does not compromise the stability of the current financial system. Starting this program was mostly driven by the desire to see if a CBDC system might streamline the payment and settlement processes. Transactions nowadays sometimes call for middlemen, which slow down the process and raise administrative expenses. Real-time processing of transactions made possible by this token deposit system lets stores get payments faster without using traditional banking systems. The BOK thinks that this approach will reduce the need of financial middlemen in regular transactions. Should the outcomes be favorable, this can be the first step towards CBDC’s general acceptance in South Korea. Regulations pertaining to digital assets in South Korea are also evolving while the BOK is working on a CBDC. The Financial Services Commission of South Korea stated on February 13 intentions to remove a rule forbidding financial institutions from trading cryptocurrency. Should the policy be carried out, companies like law enforcement departments, charities, and colleges will be free to sell their digital assets in the first half of this year. Conversely, tax laws are also beginning to become tighter. The city of Paju warned tax evaders in November 2024 that their crypto assets might be seized should their tax obligations not be paid off right away. This move is a component of a larger nationwide campaign whereby tax officials have started focusing on people who conceal money under the shape of digital assets. Even major towns like Gangnam District in Seoul have started looking at almost 2,000 citizens allegedly storing their wealth in crypto. As previously mentioned in our report , South Korea is becoming more receptive to digital assets; yet, the Bank of Korea still rejects Bitcoin as a foreign exchange reserve. The major causes are the great price volatility and accompanying financial risks. Rather, analysts advise South Korea to create a won-based stablecoin that can link the world of digital assets with traditional finance. Moreover, the CBDC project under development might provide the solution for the demand for a more consistent digital financial system. Supported by the government and banks, South Korea is ready to be among the nations leading in the acceptance of blockchain-based payment technology without depending on too volatile digital assets.

Onchain analytics firm Nansen has appointed Robert Leshner, founder of Superstate and Compound, to its Board of Directors, according to a note shared with crypto.news. Leshner, a key figure in decentralized finance, will help shape Nansen’s strategic direction as it expands its offerings in onchain intelligence, staking , and multi-chain analytics . Leshner is known for pioneering DeFi through Compound, a protocol that introduced algorithmic lending in crypto markets. His background in protocol development and tokenization is expected to contribute to Nansen’s mission of providing real-time analytics for traders, investors, and builders. “Robert is a pioneer in DeFi, and his insights into decentralized systems and crypto markets will be invaluable as Nansen scales to new heights,” said Alex Svanevik, CEO and Co-Founder of Nansen. Leshner’s appointment comes as Nansen accelerates product rollouts, including its Nansen Points initiative and expanded staking services. He joins a board that includes representatives from Accel and a16z Crypto, reinforcing the company’s leadership in onchain analytics. “Nansen has built the most valuable intelligence platform in crypto, and I’m excited to help the team continue to innovate,” Leshner said. Nansen provides AI-driven tools to help users analyze crypto markets, track portfolios , and identify trends. The company aims to enhance transparency and decision-making for participants in the evolving onchain economy.

Privy has announced a new funding round led by Ribbit Capital, with continued support from Sequoia Capital, Paradigm, BlueYard, and Coinbase. The fresh investment brings the company’s total funding to over $40 million, reinforcing its mission to simplify crypto integration for developers. Privy provides API-based infrastructure for user onboarding and embedded wallets, enabling developers to create seamless experiences on blockchain rails. The company has powered over 50 million accounts across payments, DeFi, social, and gaming, offering wallet solutions that eliminate complexities such as downloads, seed phrases, and gas fees. The investment will help Privy scale its infrastructure , improve security, and enhance real-time transaction capabilities. The company serves a growing customer base, including Hyperliquid for trading, Farcaster for social, OpenSea for marketplaces, and Blackbird for payments. Privy’s latest funding reflects a broader trend of expanding financial applications on blockchain networks. With Ribbit Capital’s backing, the company aims to make digital asset transactions more accessible for developers and users alike.

Jack Tan, co-founder of WOO X, outlined key trends shaping the crypto market in a note to crypto.news. Tan discussed the booming expansion of real-world assets and recent sell-offs within the Binance Smart Chain ecosystem. Tan pointed to the accelerating adoption of RWAs , with projections estimating the sector could reach $16.1 trillion by 2030. “This showcases the long-term potential of asset tokenization,” Tan wrote in a note. “As the RWA sector matures, key projects such as ONDO, LINK, MKR, and PLUME—which focus on tokenization, liquidity, and decentralized finance infrastructure—are well-positioned to benefit from this growth.” Institutional interest is rising, exemplified by BlackRock’s BUIDL fund, which has grown from an initial $100 million USDC in March 2024 to over $1 billion, capturing 30% of the tokenized U.S. Treasuries market. Beyond Treasuries, RWAs are expanding into new financial products. Ondo Finance recently partnered with Mastercard to integrate its OUSG bond fund into Mastercard’s Multi-Token Network, enabling crypto payments to interact with traditional financial systems. Meanwhile, Coinbase is reportedly collaborating with Swiss tokenization firm Backed to launch tokenized stocks, such as “wbCOIN,” on its layer-2 network, Base , according to Tan. These developments reflect increasing institutional confidence in blockchain-based financial instruments. The BSC ecosystem has seen increased liquidity in projects like MUBARAK , PALU, ATM, and Broccoli. However, investor confidence was shaken after crypto influencer Wolfy_XBT was accused of triggering panic through aggressive sell-offs of BNB ( BNB ) Card-related tokens, Tan wrote. The event has fueled broader discussions about potential risks in tokenized ecosystems. As RWAs gain traction and crypto markets respond to macroeconomic shifts, Tan stressed that projects such as ONDO ( ONDO ), LINK ( LINK ), Maker ( MKR ), and PLUME are well-positioned to capitalize on the evolving landscape.