Judge Rejects $50M Settlement Deal, Ripple and SEC to Revisit Court

By: cryptosheadlines|2025/05/16 13:00:12

Airdrop Is Live CaryptosHeadlines Media Has Launched Its Native Token CHT. Airdrop Is Live For Everyone, Claim Instant 5000 CHT Tokens Worth Of $50 USDT. Join the Airdrop at the official website, CryptosHeadlinesToken.com Another important update has come in the ongoing legal fight between Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Judge Analisa Torres has denied the joint request made by Ripple and the SEC for an indicative ruling that would have helped move their settlement plan forward.Why Was It Denied?In simple terms, the court said that even if it had the power to decide on the matter right now, it would reject the request because it didn’t follow the correct legal process. The motion, filed on May 8, 2025, asked the court to lift its earlier order stopping Ripple from selling XRP in violation of the law and to reduce Ripple’s $125 million penalty to $50 million. But the judge pointed out that the parties didn’t meet the legal requirements needed for such a request.A Quick Recap of the CaseThis is the latest chapter in a case that began in 2020 when the SEC sued Ripple, accusing the company of selling XRP as an unregistered security. In 2024, Ripple was ordered to pay a large penalty, and both Ripple and the SEC later appealed that decision. While those appeals are still ongoing, the two sides recently agreed to settle the case.As part of their settlement plan, Ripple and the SEC signed an agreement in April and May of this year. They also asked the court to pause the appeals and filed a motion for the court to support their deal. However, Judge Torres denied this request because the parties didn’t properly follow Rule 60, which covers how final court decisions can be changed. The court noted that the motion didn’t explain why an exception should be made in this case.What Happens Next?Reacting to the decision, attorney Bill Morgan explained how the settlement process was supposed to work. He said the agreement was signed, the appeals were paused, and the parties asked the court for an indicative ruling. If that had been approved, they would have asked the appeals court for a limited remand to officially complete the settlement. Now, with the motion denied, the process has hit a roadblock.Ripple’s CLO Stuart Alderoty said, “Nothing in today’s order changes Ripple’s wins (i.e. XRP is not a security, etc). This is about procedural concerns with the dismissal of Ripple’s cross-appeal. Ripple and the SEC are fully in agreement to resolve this case and will revisit this issue with the Court, together.”This means Ripple and the SEC must decide whether to fix their legal paperwork and try again or take a different approachSource link

On March 4, 2026, DDC Enterprise Limited (NYSE American: DDC) today announced preliminary, unaudited full-year financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2025. The company expects to achieve record revenue and record positive adjusted EBITDA, primarily driven by continued growth in its core consumer food business and overall margin improvement. The final audited financial report is expected to be released in mid-April 2026.

2025 Full-Year Financial Highlights

Revenue: Expected to be between $39 million and $41 million, reaching a new company high.

Organic Growth: Excluding the impact of the company's strategic contraction of its U.S. operations, core revenue is expected to grow 11% to 17% year over year.

Gross Profit Margin: Expected to be between 28% and 30%, reflecting continued operational efficiency improvements.

Adjusted EBITDA: The company expects to achieve a positive full-year result in 2025, a significant improvement from a $3.5 million loss in 2024, mainly due to rigorous cost controls and a higher-margin sales mix.

Core Consumer Food Business Performance

In 2025, DDC's core consumer food business maintained strong operational performance.

The company also disclosed Core Consumer Food Business Adjusted EBITDA, a metric that further excludes costs related to its Bitcoin reserve strategy and non-cash fair value adjustments related to its Bitcoin holdings from adjusted EBITDA to more accurately reflect the core business performance.

In 2025, Core Consumer Food Business Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $5.5 million and $6 million.

Bitcoin Reserve Update

In the first half of 2025, DDC initiated a long-term Bitcoin accumulation strategy, holding Bitcoin as its primary reserve asset.

As of December 31, 2025: The company holds 1,183 BTC.

As of February 28, 2026: Holdings increased to 2,118 BTC

Today's additional purchase of 65 BTC brings the company's total holdings to 2,183 BTC

DDC Founder, Chairman, and CEO Norma Chu stated, "We are proud to have closed 2025 with record revenue and positive adjusted EBITDA, demonstrating the steady growth of the company's consumer food business and the ongoing improvement in profitability. We are building a disciplined, growth-oriented food platform and strategically allocating capital to Bitcoin assets with a long-term view, aligning with our core beliefs. We believe that this dual-track model of 'Steady Consumer Business + Strategic Bitcoin Reserve' will help DDC create lasting long-term value for shareholders."

Adjusted EBITDA Definition
For the full year 2025, the company defines "Adjusted EBITDA" (a non-GAAP financial measure) as: Net income / (loss) excluding the following items:· Interest expense· Taxes· Foreign exchange gains/losses· Long-lived asset impairment· Depreciation and amortization· Non-cash fair value changes related to financial instruments (including Bitcoin holdings)· Stock-based compensation

About DDC Enterprise Limited

DDC Enterprise Limited (NYSE: DDC) is actively implementing its corporate Bitcoin Treasury strategy while continuing to strengthen its position as a leading global Asian food platform.

The company has established Bitcoin as a core reserve asset and is executing a prudent, long-oriented accumulation strategy. While expanding its portfolio of food brands, DDC is gradually becoming one of the public company pioneers in integrating Bitcoin into its corporate financial architecture.

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DDC Enterprise Limited Announces 2025 Unaudited Preliminary Financial Performance: Record Revenue Achieved, Bitcoin Treasury Grows to 2183 Coins