Ripple Vs. SEC, Shiba Inu, US Elections Steal Spotlight

The crypto universe has closed another week with remarkable developments unfolding across the broader sector. While Ripple vs. the U.S. SEC lawsuit saw new advancements, Shiba Inu gained significant attention due to ecosystem developments. Simultaneously, with the U.S. elections nearing, the market appears to be echoing a frenzy. So, let’s take a closer look at some of the top cryptocurrency market updates reported by CoinGape Media over the past week.

Ripple vs. SEC Lawsuit Advances

Notably, this week saw the Second Circuit Court of Appeals issue a deadline for the U.S. SEC‘s opening brief regarding appeals in the XRP lawsuit. The deadline set by the court of appeals was January 15, 2025.

Simultaneously, Ripple executives Brad Garlinghouse and Chris Larsen hired prominent attorneys to dismiss the claims in the XRP lawsuit this week, sparking market discussions. Meanwhile, the U.S. court ordered Ripple Labs to consider an alternative resolution before lawsuit proceedings concluded. Overall, these legal maneuvers have caused a stir in the XRP market, with on-chain movements adding to investors’ speculations. Ripple was recorded unlocking nearly 900 million XRP from escrow this week, adding intrigue toward price movements.

Also, the recent buzz around an XRP ETF has added to investor enthusiasm surrounding the crypto. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse remains optimistic on an ETF with Bitwise Invest, Canary Capital, and 21Shares forging ahead with S-1 forms. Overall, market watchers are extensively eyeing the coin for price action shifts amid recent developments.

Shiba Inu Sparks Optimism Across Crypto Market

Meanwhile, it’s also worth mentioning that Shiba Inu emerged as the talk of the cryptocurrency town this week. Shiba Inu lead developer Shytoshi Kusama recently sought a meeting with Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin in a bid to boost optimism for the meme token. Simultaneously, the lead developer also revealed how SHIB outshined BTC, bringing additional investor optimism toward the meme coin.

Also, the SHIB burn rate noted a remarkable surge this week, soaring 253,000% and sparking market optimism surrounding the coin. Further, crypto analyst Javon Marks anticipated a new ATH for Shiba Inu’s price amid recent optimistic developments. Altogether, the coin set off optimistic waves this week, witnessing noteworthy advancements.

U.S. Elections Loom Sparking Speculation

The looming U.S. elections have further pushed the market into a state of frenzy, with market watchers expecting a pivotal shift in sentiment despite who wins. Recent Polymarket data showed that Donald Trump’s winning odds stood at 55.2%, whereas Kamala Harris’ stood at 44.8%, somewhat attributable to the Republican’s pro-crypto stance.

Further, a recent CoinGape Media report revealed that cryptocurrency investors and policymakers should expect a bipartisan influx of digital asset-friendly lawmakers in both chambers post-2024 elections. Simultaneously, in light of Elon Musk’s D.O.G.E. role under Trump, the American billionaire sought expertise from U.S. Fed critic Ron Paul, sparking discussions nationwide.