Ripple Secures EU EMI License as XRP Slides to 14-Month Low Amid Epstein-related Documents
Ripple gained full ratification of its Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from Luxembourg’s CSSF, strengthening its EU expansion after earlier FCA registration for Ripple Markets UK Ltd. The company said the authorization will help scale compliant blockchain infrastructure for European clients. Separately, newly released Jeffrey Epstein-related documents include an email referencing Ripple and Stellar; the emailwriter criticized both projects as “bad for the ecosystem,” prompting concern and calls for transparency about any Epstein-linked influence on early crypto policy. On markets, XRP fell to a 14-month low near $1.50 and trades around $1.64 (CoinGecko), down about 14% over the past week amid broader market weakness. Some analysts foresee a short-term relief bounce or liquidity grab; an anonymous large trader opened a multi-million-dollar 20x leveraged XRP position on Hyperliquid, which could attract follow-on flows. Key names: Ripple leadership (Cassie Craddock), XRP Ledger co-architect David Schwartz, and Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill. Primary keywords: Ripple, XRP, EU EMI license, Epstein documents, price drop.
Neutral
The news is mixed. The regulatory win—full EMI license in Luxembourg and prior FCA registration—constitutes a clear long-term positive for Ripple’s institutional positioning and EU expansion, likely supporting adoption and onshore flows. Conversely, the appearance of Ripple in the newly released Epstein-related documents creates reputational uncertainty; although the mention is indirect and not an accusation of wrongdoing, it may spark calls for records and short-term negative sentiment. Market action (XRP sliding to a 14-month low and 14% weekly loss) reflects broader bearish conditions; however, analyst talk of a liquidity grab and a large leveraged whale position could produce sharp short-term volatility and episodic rallies. Taken together, the regulatory tailwind supports a constructive long-term outlook, while reputation noise and macro/market weakness keep near-term direction uncertain. Traders should expect elevated volatility: potential relief bounces or liquidity sweeps in the short term, and gradual price support if onboarding and compliance lead to sustained institutional demand over months.