The US government is making a big step in the crypto space – but not in the way that is expected the most. President Donald Trump recently confirmed that although the US will no longer actively buy altcoins, it will create a stock of digital assets it acquires through legal means.
This digital assets stock of the United States comprises XRP, Ethereum, Cardano and Solana. However, the government has made it clear – it will not make extra purchases that go beyond what it receives through legal actions.
This announcement has fueled new speculation, especially around the role of XRP in all this. Crypto analyst Yassin Mobarak believes that this could mean that the US government can keep XRP for the first time, thanks to Ripple’s constant legal battle with the SEC.
Ripple’s sec fine: Can it be paid in XRP?
Ripple recently received a fine of $ 125 million with the SEC for the incorrect selling of XRP. To manage this, Ripple suggested placing the amount in Escrow-a request that the SEC agreed under a deal approved by the court. However, it is unclear whether the funds will be held in US Dollars or XRP.
Mobarak believes that, since the government sets up a stock account for digital assets with high liquidity, there is a real chance that the SEC Ripple’s fine in XRP could accept instead of cash. If this happens, this would mean that the US government would have XRP for the first time.
This can be a major problem, because if the government possesses XRP, it would have a reason to see its value grow. That could mean that less regulatory roadblocks and XRP can finally function as it was referred to in the US
Jeremy Hogan’s Legal Take
Legal expert Jeremy Hogan weighed In on the theory of Mobarak, which states that although the fine of the SEC is officially expressed in USD, Ripple could still argue for a payment in XRP under the correct circumstances. He quotes the Supreme Court of 1869 Willard v. Tayloe, where the court allowed a contractual obligation to settle in gold instead of dollars in the interest of fairness.
Although Ripple’s case is different, Hogan suggests that if both parties agree, Ripple could transfer an equivalent amount of XRP to a address checked by the government instead of paying in cash.
However, there is a big obstacle left – the fine of the Ripple is a fine that usually has to go to the American treasury. But because the treasury also supervises the XRP stock, Hogan believes that this may not be a roadblock.
What does this mean for XRP?
If Ripple ultimately pays his fine in XRP, this can be a game changer. Because the US government officially keeps XRP, its interests can adjust to the XRP community, possibly lead to less regulatory pressure and more widespread adoption. Although nothing has been deposited in stone, this is a development that is worth seeing.
