Ripple Gave Millions to Trump Before SEC Softened Its Stance

Ripple Labs quietly emerged as one of the largest financial backers of Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration, contributing nearly $5 million just months before federal regulators began softening their stance toward the company.

The donation, revealed through a recent filing with the Federal Election Commission, was second only to a $5 million contribution from meat producer Pilgrim’s Pride.

The disclosure showed that the cryptocurrency sector had a notable presence among the inauguration’s financial supporters. According to data shared by Fortune, blockchain-related firms accounted for around $18 million of the $239 million raised.

Major players like Coinbase and Galaxy Digital each offered $1 million, while smaller industry names such as Yuga Labs and Consensys chipped in with $100,000 apiece.

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These revelations come at a time when Ripple and the SEC have agreed to suspend litigation. Earlier this month, both parties filed to delay the regulator’s appeal, opting instead to work toward a settlement.

A judge granted a 60-day pause, following Ripple’s earlier agreement to drop its own counter-appeal. The settlement also slashed Ripple’s financial penalty, bringing it down from $125 million to $50 million.

Meanwhile, other crypto firms have seen a shift in regulatory treatment. The SEC dropped its case against Coinbase earlier this year and approved Galaxy Digital’s move to list on Nasdaq. However, not all interactions have been favorable—Galaxy agreed to pay $200 million to the New York Attorney General in March over its involvement with the failed LUNA project.

Alexander Stefanov