TL;DR

• Ripple cautioned users to beware of fake claims that its stablecoin is live.
• The SEC labeled the product as an unregistered asset, adding to its ongoing legal disputes with the company.

XRP Army Beware

Earlier this year, Ripple announced it will launch a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the American dollar. It will be called RLUSD and will be available on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) and Ethereum. According to CEO Brad Garlinghouse, the product could serve as a bridge between the cryptocurrency industry and traditional finance, while numerous analysts believe its eventual launch could positively impact XRP’s price.

Last week, Ripple’s team minted over 800,000 RLUSD on XRPL and Ethereum, representing 99% of the total supply. This caused speculation that the stablecoin is already live.

The company, though, assured it is still in the private beta testing phase. It also cautioned users to beware of dubious individuals who claim the opposite.

PSA: Ripple USD (RLUSD) is still in private beta, and while you may see on-chain activity, it’s not available yet. Beware of anyone claiming to distribute #RLUSD.

Keep an eye out for the latest updates, and stay vigilant against scams! https://t.co/P1scOUchWz

— Ripple (@Ripple) September 30, 2024

Numerous X users thanked Ripple for the heads up. The popular community figure Vet was among those reacting below the post, saying:

“Unfortunately, a necessary PSA. Even accounts with a gold checkmark are impersonating and scamming people. Definitely stay vigilant, and the best thing is to do nothing, don’t click any links, and wait for official sources.”

Controversy With the SEC… Again

Ripple’s plans to introduce a stablecoin caused huge excitement in the cryptocurrency space. However, it was not welcomed by everyone, with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) describing it as a “new unregistered crypto asset.”

This is not the first quarrel between the entities. To the uninitiated ones, the SEC sued Ripple in December 2020, accusing it of conducting an unregistered securities offering by selling XRP tokens. The case passed through numerous developments over the years, reaching an important milestone in August 2024.

Back then, Judge Torres determined that the sales of XRP on secondary markets to retail investors did not constitute securities transactions. Nonetheless, she ordered Ripple to pay $125 million for violating certain securities laws. 

The figure represents a massive discount on the $2 billion initially sought by the regulator, causing many to declare the ruling a major Ripple victory. Both parties have until October 7 to appeal, and the SEC seems more likely to do so.

Over the past few weeks, there have been increased rumors about such a potential scenario. American lawyer Fred Rispoli, for example, thinks the chance for an appeal is 60%.