Dubai, UAE – 13 March 2025 – Ripple, the leader in enterprise blockchain and crypto solutions, has received approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to provide regulated crypto payments and services in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Ripple will be the first blockchain-enabled payments provider licenced by the DFSA.
This marks Ripple’s first licence in the Middle East and underscores the company’s long-standing commitment to the region and regulatory compliance globally. The approval makes Ripple’s seamless compliance-first global payments product available for businesses in the UAE, and reinforces Ripple’s role as a trusted partner for financial institutions looking to leverage the superior capabilities of digital assets to drive real-world utility.
“We are entering an unprecedented period of growth for the crypto industry, driven by greater regulatory clarity around the world and increasing institutional adoption,” said Brad Garlinghouse, Chief Executive Officer of Ripple. “Thanks to its early leadership in creating a supportive environment for tech and crypto innovation, the UAE is exceptionally well-placed to benefit.”
The UAE is a global hub for outbound finance, with a $400bn+ market for international trade. Ripple has seen increasing demand across the Middle East from crypto-native firms and traditional financial institutions alike, all seeking solutions to the inefficiencies of traditional cross-border payments—such as high fees, long settlement times, and lack of transparency. According to a 2024 business survey carried out by Ripple, 64% of Middle East and Africa (MEA) finance leaders see faster payments and settlement times as the biggest value proposition for incorporating blockchain-based currencies into their cross-border payments business.
His Excellency Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority commented, ”We are thrilled that Ripple is deepening their commitment to Dubai by securing a DFSA licence that makes them the first blockchain-enabled payments provider in DIFC. This milestone not only highlights our commitment to fostering innovation, but also opens the door for Ripple to tap into new growth opportunities across the region and beyond. As the Middle East, Africa and South Asia’s leading global financial centre, DIFC is proud to support forward-thinking companies like Ripple as they shape the future of finance and accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology in the payments industry.”
Since establishing its Middle East headquarters in DIFC in 2020, Ripple has continued to deepen its presence in the region. With around 20% of its global customer base already operating in the Middle East, this latest regulatory approval positions Ripple to further accelerate growth and innovation in a high-potential market. The MEA region has one of highest levels of institutional readiness when it comes to crypto adoption, with over 82% of MEA finance leaders stating they are “very or extremely confident” when it comes to integrating blockchain solutions into their business.
“Dubai and the broader UAE have established themselves as leaders in fostering a progressive and well-defined regulatory framework for digital assets,” said Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for Middle East and Africa. “Securing this DFSA licence is a major milestone that will enable us to better serve the growing demand for faster, cheaper and more transparent cross-border transactions in one of the world’s largest cross-border payments hubs. We’re grateful for the support of our partners at DIFC, and we’re ready to hit the ground running with a growing local team and strong customer pipeline.”
Payments utility is also expected to drive greater stablecoin adoption in the UAE, with stablecoins offering real time settlement compared to traditional banking systems, which often take days to process. Launched at the end of December on global exchanges, Ripple’s own RLUSD stablecoin has already surpassed $130m in market cap.
Ripple’s DFSA licence adds to its growing list of over 60 regulatory approvals worldwide, including a Major Payments Institution licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), a New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Trust Charter, a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registration from the Central Bank of Ireland, and Money Transmitter Licences (MTLs) across multiple U.S. states.
As Ripple continues to work closely with regulators and policymakers worldwide, this latest milestone further strengthens its mission to bring the benefits of compliant blockchain technology to financial services companies and their customers globally.
-ENDS-
Media Contact
Celine Cheung
press@ripple.com
About Ripple
Ripple is the leading provider of digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions—delivering simple, compliant, reliable software that unlocks efficiencies, reduces friction, and enhances innovation in global finance. Ripple’s solutions leverage the XRP Ledger and its native digital asset, XRP, which was purpose-built to enable fast, low-cost, highly scalable transactions across developer and financial use cases. With a proven track record working with regulators and policymakers around the world, Ripple’s payments, custody and stablecoin solutions are pioneering the digital asset economy—building credibility and trust in enterprise blockchain. Together with customers, partners and the developer community, we are transforming the way the world tokenizes, stores, exchanges, and moves value.
About Dubai International Financial Centre
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is one of the world’s most advanced financial centres, and the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA), which comprises 77 countries with an approximate population of 3.7bn and an estimated GDP of USD 10.5trn.
With a 20-year track record of facilitating trade and investment flows across the MEASA region, the Centre connects these fast-growing markets with the economies of Asia, Europe, and the Americas through Dubai.
DIFC is home to an internationally recognised, independent regulator and a proven judicial system with an English common law framework, as well as the region’s largest financial ecosystem of 46,000 professionals working across over 6,900 active registered companies – making up the largest and most diverse pool of industry talent in the region.
The Centre’s vision is to drive the future of finance through cutting-edge technology, innovation, and partnerships. Today, it is the global future of finance and innovation hub offering one of the region’s most comprehensive FinTech and venture capital environments, including cost-effective licensing solutions, fit-for-purpose regulation, innovative accelerator programmes, and funding for growth-stage start-ups.
Comprising a variety of world-renowned retail and dining venues, a dynamic art and culture scene, residential apartments, hotels, and public spaces, DIFC continues to be one of Dubai’s most sought-after business and lifestyle destinations.
For further information, please visit our website: difc.ae, or follow us on LinkedIn and X @DIFC.
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Rasha.Mezher@difc.ae
