Ripple’s EU License, Epstein Files Link, and XRP Price Crash

Ripple’s strategic push into Europe reached a critical juncture with the full ratification of its Electronic Money Institution license by Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). This authorization, following preliminary approval earlier in the year, represents a significant regulatory endorsement. Cassie Craddock, Managing Director for UK & Europe at Ripple, framed the achievement as “a transformative milestone” that positions the company “at the heart of European finance.” The license enables Ripple to scale its provision of “robust, compliant blockchain infrastructure” to clients across the European Union, a region the company identifies as a strategic priority for transitioning businesses into a digital-first financial era.

This European regulatory success was preceded by another key compliance step in the United Kingdom. Ripple Markets UK Ltd, the firm’s British subsidiary, obtained registration with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This registration confirms the subsidiary’s adherence to the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regulations. Together, the Luxembourg EMI license and the FCA registration form a dual-pillar foundation for Ripple’s operational and commercial scaling across two major European financial jurisdictions, underscoring a concerted effort to build within established regulatory frameworks.

Amidst its regulatory advancements, Ripple found itself entangled in an unrelated but high-profile controversy. The recent release of millions of documents by the U.S. Department of Justice related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein included a reference to the company. Among the unsealed materials was an email from Austin Hill, co-founder of the blockchain firm Blockstream, addressed to Epstein and former MIT Media Lab director Joichi Ito.

In the message, Hill requested a call to discuss Ripple and Stellar, labeling both projects as “bad for the ecosystem we are building.” The mention, while brief, sparked immediate reaction within the crypto community. Prominent X user Dr. Russel McGregor urged Ripple to demand that U.S. authorities release all records concerning any Epstein-linked influence on early cryptocurrency policy. David Schwartz, a chief architect of the XRP Ledger, responded to the revelation, stating he “wouldn’t be surprised if this is just the tip of a giant iceberg,” hinting at broader, undisclosed connections between influential figures and foundational crypto projects.

On the trading front, Ripple’s cross-border payment token, XRP, faced severe headwinds, mirroring a broader market downturn. The asset’s price collapsed to approximately $1.50, marking a 14-month low, before recovering slightly to trade around $1.64—a 14% weekly decline according to CoinGecko data. This bearish performance coincided with the wider crypto market crash, placing significant pressure on XRP holders.

Despite the grim price action, several analysts and market participants signaled potential for a near-term reversal. Crypto analyst EGRAG CRYPTO suggested the sharp pullback could be followed by “a liquidity grab,” outlining potential price paths that include a relief bounce. More concretely, an anonymous large investor on the Hyperliquid derivatives platform opened a multi-million dollar position on XRP with 20x leverage. Such a high-stakes, leveraged bet is often interpreted by the market as a sign of strong conviction, with some speculating that large-scale investors may possess non-public insights. Even if based on speculation alone, actions of this magnitude can attract attention from smaller traders, potentially injecting fresh capital and influencing positive price momentum for XRP in the volatile sessions ahead.