Ripple UAE Expansion: DFSA License, Zand Bank and Mamo Partnerships

Ripple Payments is the company’s enterprise-grade platform designed to handle cross-border payments using blockchain technology. The system facilitates transactions in both fiat and cryptocurrencies, including the use of XRP as a bridge asset, allowing for rapid settlement, improved liquidity, and reduced transaction costs.

Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, described the expansion as both strategic and necessary. “Securing our DFSA license enables Ripple to better serve the growing demand for blockchain-based cross-border payments in one of the world’s largest remittance corridors,” he said.

The United Arab Emirates is recognized as one of the world's largest sources of remittance outflows, with estimates often cited around $45 billion annually. Against this backdrop, Ripple's expansion into the UAE through fully regulated channels presents a significant challenge to traditional payment systems like SWIFT, which, while dominant, lack the speed and transparency offered by modern blockchain solutions.

The DFSA license enables Ripple to offer services compliant with Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regime, giving institutional and retail clients greater confidence in working with blockchain-based platforms. The regulatory approval also opens doors for further expansion across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, many of which are pursuing similar pro-innovation financial frameworks.

Zand Bank, which has positioned itself as the region’s first full-service digital bank, will integrate Ripple Payments to streamline its global payment corridors. As part of its broader digital asset strategy, the bank also plans to issue an AED-backed stablecoin to enhance cross-border liquidity and settlement efficiency, according to official announcements.

Ripple’s blockchain solution is designed to reduce transaction costs by up to 60% and shorten settlement times from days to seconds, according to internal studies.

Ripple’s engagement in the UAE is part of a broader Middle East strategy, where the company aims to capitalize on rapid digital transformation, strong remittance activity, and increasing crypto adoption.

Long emphasized Ripple’s commitment to aligning with regional development goals, such as the UAE’s National Digital Economy Strategy and Dubai’s ambition to become a global financial technology capital.

Ripple has already made significant inroads across Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America. With the addition of Zand and Mamo, Ripple Payments now serves clients in over 90 global markets and has processed more than $70 billion in total payment volume. The company says it is expanding its liquidity hubs and payment corridors aggressively, with new corridors in Asia and Africa under development.

XRP, the native token of the XRP Ledger, is a crucial component of Ripple’s cross-border payments strategy, serving as a liquidity bridge in jurisdictions that allow its use. As of this week, XRP is trading around $2.38, with market sentiment buoyed by Ripple’s continued enterprise adoption and regulatory wins.

Ripple’s UAE expansion highlights the maturation of blockchain-based finance and the growing institutional acceptance of crypto-enabled infrastructure. With regulatory clarity, high remittance flows, and a digitally savvy population, the UAE offers fertile ground for Ripple to advance its vision of an Internet of Value, where money moves as seamlessly as information.

As more financial institutions explore blockchain integrations, Ripple’s proactive strategy in regulated environments like Dubai could position it as a global leader in next-generation payments. The partnerships with Zand Bank and Mamo are not just business deals, they are blueprints for what the future of finance might look like in a world where speed, transparency, and trust define how money moves.