Catch up on the fast-paced world of crypto with U.Today’s top three must-read news stories.

Ripple v. SEC nearing the finish line? XRP lawyer shares cryptic reaction to new buzz

Word on the street is, the long-running legal saga between Ripple and the SEC might just be wrapping up! According to a recent X post by crypto influencer Andrew “AP_Abacus” Parish, who claims to have intel from two SEC sources, this courtroom drama could be reaching its final act. Parish laid out three potential outcomes if the case is indeed close to a resolution. First up, there’s talk of reclassifying XRP as a commodity, which would mean shifting its regulatory oversight from the SEC to the CFTC. Secondly, Ripple’s fine could be significantly reduced – remember it already dropped from a whopping $2 billion to $125 million back in 2024, and now it might go even lower! Thirdly, and perhaps crucially, the outcome of this case is expected to set a major precedent for the crypto industry for years to come. The XRP community, and specifically pro-XRP lawyer John Deaton, definitely took note of Parish’s post. Deaton reposted the update and simply commented with 👀 eyes emoji. It’s anyone’s guess what those eyes mean exactly, but it strongly suggests he’s keeping a very close watch on these Ripple v. SEC developments.

Bitcoin (BTC) market “deleveraging”: Is this a good sign for bulls?

As pointed out by CryptoQuant’s community expert, @Darkfost_Coc, Bitcoin’s 90-day open interest has seen a sharp drop, plunging 31.2% recently from $33.6 billion down to $23.1 billion. This big shift indicates a “deleveraging” phase in the Bitcoin market, which, historically speaking, has often paved the way for decent opportunities for Bitcoin enthusiasts in both the short and medium term. The most recent instances of such heavy deleveraging happened just before the U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs got the green light in January 2024, and during the recession that stretched from Q4 2022 into Q1 2023. Right now, Bitcoin is trading around $81,759, a 1.8% dip over the last 24 hours according to CoinMarketCap. Market sentiment in crypto is currently skewed towards “Fear,” with the Crypto Fear and Greed Index sitting at a low 25/100. The markets might be feeling a bit jittery as we head into the FOMC meeting on March 18-19 in the U.S., where fresh monetary policies could be on the table.

Cardano (ADA) is breathing down Dogecoin’s (DOGE) neck

Dogecoin has been facing increased selling pressure in recent weeks, along with some technical bumps in the road, putting its crypto market rank at risk. Currently priced at $0.1641, DOGE finds itself in a downward spiral, with a bearish pattern and a death cross formation adding to the asset’s woes. Meanwhile, ADA is showing signs of strength. Despite also facing price resistance, Cardano has shown resilience by holding onto key support levels. ADA is currently trading at $0.6925. Looking at market capitalization, Cardano is rapidly closing the gap with Dogecoin. Cardano’s market cap is currently at $24.39 billion, while Dogecoin’s is just slightly ahead at $24.42 billion – it’s a tight race to see who comes out on top as the eighth-largest crypto. If Cardano keeps up its current momentum, it could soon overtake Dogecoin and claim the eighth spot.