XRP Under Pressure, Potential Market Shock After Lawsuit – Matt Hougan

# XRP Faces Potential Price Shock Post-SEC Lawsuit, Says NewsBTC [Breaking News] - XRP, the cryptocurrency embroiled in a legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), might experience a significant price shock following the resolution of the lawsuit, according to a report by NewsBTC published on the 12th of the month. Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of Bitwise, suggested in a recent interview on the Paul Barron Network that XRP's current valuation is being suppressed by the ongoing lawsuit and could dramatically shift once the legal issues are resolved. # XRP Poised for April 16 Ruling Amid Legal Tension Since 2020, XRP has been entangled in a legal dispute with the SEC, which accused Ripple Labs of selling unregistered securities. This litigation has led to XRP's delisting from major U.S. exchanges and significantly stunted its potential growth. Paul Barron forecasted that a final ruling on this matter is expected on April 16. Hougan remarked that, "XRP has been undervalued in the market for a prolonged period, and the resolution of its legal issues could unleash hidden demand." He emphasized that many market participants have underestimated XRP, which he considers a critical oversight. # Strong Performance in Japanese Market; Global Expansion on the Horizon Notably, XRP has been making significant strides in the Japanese market. SBI Holdings, a prominent financial group in Japan, has aggressively integrated XRP into its digital banking system. Consequently, the holdings of XRP in Japan have now surpassed those of Ethereum (ETH). Paul Barron likened SBI's strategic accumulation of XRP to Michael Saylor's acquisition strategy for Bitcoin (BTC). Hougan commented, "XRP could play an essential role in international remittance and liquidity solutions," and added that resolving its legal issues could lead to a higher valuation in the global financial markets. # Potential for XRP ETF; Market Reevaluation Anticipated The potential introduction of an XRP spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) was also discussed. Although Hougan did not reveal specific details about the ETF, he stated, "An ETF application is made only when there’s a realistic chance of approval." Hougan acknowledged the market's perception that XRP's current undervaluation already reflects its legal troubles. However, he argued that the market might be overlooking XRP's potential for substantial gains. He projected that once XRP is relisted on major exchanges and institutional investors start buying in, the market will reevaluate its value.