Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty welcomes the SEC’s proposed crypto safe harbor framework, as XRP climbs on renewed optimism over the regulatory shift.
Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty welcomes the SEC’s proposed crypto safe harbor framework, as XRP climbs on renewed optimism over the regulatory shift.
Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty has publicly welcomed a regulatory shift at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as the agency moves toward classifying XRP and other digital assets as commodities rather than securities. The development, tied to a broader proposed crypto safe harbor framework, has fueled renewed optimism among XRP holders and traders watching the long-running Ripple v. SEC legal battle.
The SEC’s emerging safe harbor framework represents a sharp departure from the enforcement-heavy posture the agency maintained under former Chair Gary Gensler. Under Gensler, the SEC pursued dozens of enforcement actions against crypto firms, arguing that most digital assets qualified as securities under the Howey test.
The new direction signals that certain crypto assets, including XRP, could be treated as digital commodities under U.S. law. A safe harbor designation would shield qualifying crypto projects from securities enforcement actions during a defined compliance window, giving developers and token issuers regulatory breathing room.
The proposal builds on earlier frameworks advanced by Commissioner Hester Peirce, who first introduced a token safe harbor concept in 2020. Peirce’s original proposal would have granted crypto projects a three-year grace period to achieve sufficient decentralization before facing securities scrutiny.
For projects that have operated under regulatory uncertainty for years, the shift carries practical implications. A formal safe harbor would clarify which tokens fall outside the SEC’s securities jurisdiction, potentially reducing litigation risk across the industry. The move also aligns with broader positive momentum in crypto markets as regulatory headwinds ease.
Alderoty, Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, responded to the SEC’s shift by characterizing it as a validation of positions Ripple has defended since the agency filed suit against the company in December 2020. His public comments framed the safe harbor proposal as evidence that the SEC’s prior approach was legally and practically flawed.
The context behind Alderoty’s reaction matters. Ripple has spent over five years and hundreds of millions of dollars fighting the SEC’s allegation that XRP sales constituted unregistered securities offerings. In July 2023, Judge Analisa Torres handed Ripple a partial victory, ruling that programmatic sales of XRP on exchanges did not qualify as securities transactions.
That ruling, while significant, left portions of the case unresolved. The SEC’s new willingness to classify XRP as a digital commodity rather than a security aligns with the legal argument Ripple maintained throughout the litigation. For Alderoty, the proposed framework effectively concedes the regulatory ground Ripple fought to defend in court.
The classification also extends beyond XRP. Reports indicate that tokens including SHIB, DOGE, and ADA have been classified as non-securities under the updated guidance, suggesting a broader recalibration of how the SEC categorizes digital assets. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao also weighed in on the classifications, reflecting industry-wide attention to the policy change.
Ripple’s case has served as a bellwether for how U.S. regulators treat altcoins, making Alderoty’s endorsement of the safe harbor framework a closely watched signal across the crypto sector.
XRP has posted gains following the regulatory developments, with traders attributing the move to reduced uncertainty around the token’s legal status. The rally reflects a pattern seen throughout 2025 and into 2026, where favorable regulatory signals have driven short-term price spikes for tokens previously targeted by SEC enforcement.
Trading volume has increased as market participants reassess XRP’s risk profile. A commodity classification would open doors to new financial products, including potential spot ETF applications similar to those already approved for Bitcoin and advancing for Ethereum.
Several concrete catalysts remain on the horizon. Any formal SEC rulemaking around the safe harbor proposal would trigger a public comment period, giving industry stakeholders a chance to shape the final framework. Outstanding remedies proceedings in the Ripple v. SEC case could also produce binding precedent on how XRP is classified going forward.
Traders are monitoring whether the SEC’s crypto task force, established under new leadership, will issue formal guidance codifying the commodity classification. A binding rule, rather than informal staff statements, would provide the durable legal clarity that institutional investors have cited as a prerequisite for larger allocations to XRP and similar assets.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.
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