Just a month after Ripple acquired Swiss crypto custodian Metaco, Citibank is reportedly reviewing its year-old partnership with the firm and is in talks with other custody providers. It is currently unclear whether the two events are linked.

SEC lawsuits against Coinbase and Binance, the upcoming unveiling of crucial documents, House hearings on the future of crypto: the end might be near for Ripple in its ongoing legal dispute with the SEC.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority launched its e-HKD Pilot Programme last Thursday. The scheme will involve 16 firms from the finance, payments and technology sectors, including Ripple, which will showcase a real estate tokenization solution.

The US payments network provider moved into the custody market this week, with the reported quarter billion dollar purchase of Switzerland’s Metaco, also increasing its overseas presence ahead of the ruling in its ongoing SEC dispute.

At the Dubai Fintech Summit many executives expressed their discontent with the US crypto regulation and gave credits to the UAE legal framework. Coinbase CEO even suggested that the UAE could serve as an international crypto hub for Coinbase.

The protracted legal dispute between Ripple, a California-based tech company, and the U.S. SEC has lasted for more than 28 months, prompting widespread speculation regarding the date of the final ruling. Ripple supporters suggest that the verdict may be announced by the end of April.

The ongoing dispute between Ripple and SEC is closely followed by crypto participants and investors alike, with many anticipating the outcome's potential impact on the market.

The blockchain project LBRY that is developing “decentralized” Youtube, Odysee, lost the court case against SEC. Observers see a precedent for the Ripple case.