Ripple Opens Dubai HQ After DFSA License in March 2025
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced the opening of a new regional headquarters in Dubai International Financial Centre, marking a physical expansion following the company's regulatory wins.
Key Takeaway
Dubai license gives Ripple a regulated bridgehead into Middle East remittance corridors.
Ripple established a new regional headquarters in Dubai International Financial Centre, expanding its presence six years after first setting up shop in the UAE.
The company became the first blockchain payments provider to receive full licensing from the Dubai Financial Services Authority in March 2025. The DFSA also approved Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin, clearing the way for broader regional deployment.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse posted on X that leaders attract leaders and expressed pride in expanding in the UAE. Ripple Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa Reece Merrick said the company has witnessed growing appetite from local businesses.
Ripple first established its initial Middle East and Africa regional headquarters in Dubai in 2020. The new DIFC facility represents a physical upgrade following years of regulatory uncertainty.
The company now counts Zand Bank and Absa Bank among its regional partners. The Dubai licensing gives Ripple a regulated base to expand stablecoin and cross-border payment services across the Middle East and Africa markets, where remittance corridors overlap with crypto adoption trends, with RLUSD approval received shortly after the March 2025 license.
This article was written based on reporting from U.Today.
