XRP Advocate John Deaton Cites 75,000 Holders in SEC Case

John Deaton, known as 'The XRP Ripple Lawyer,' has been at the forefront of advocating for XRP holders in their fight against the SEC. His journey began with a personal interest in cryptocurrency, which led him to hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP. It was when his daughter turned 18 that he handed her $15,000 in birthday money, which she used to buy XRP and other cryptocurrencies.

Deaton's motivation for filing the case against the SEC came from a sense of frustration that the government was treating XRP as a security rather than an investment contract. He notes that his daughter bought XRP without relying on Ripple's efforts, and this distinction became the foundation of his legal argument.

The case eventually grew to include 75,000 XRP holders from 143 different countries, including Ukraine and Russia, who were affected by the SEC's claim. Deaton insists that he was not paid by Ripple for his work and that his motivation was solely driven by a desire to protect the rights of everyday XRP holders.