Key Takeaways:

Ripple has intensified its global push into the Middle East with a major announcement: two new institutional partners—Zand Bank and Mamo—are now live on Ripple’s blockchain-enabled payment rails in the UAE. This follows the company’s licensing by Dubai’s top financial regulator and signals deeper crypto-finance integration in one of the world’s busiest payment corridors.

Ripple, recognized for its enterprise-level blockchain technology, has officially introduced its payment service in the United Arab Emirates. In March 2025, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) granted its permission. This is a huge step forward for rules. Ripple is now the first blockchain-based payment system in the area to gain this kind of accreditation.

With the DFSA license, Ripple may offer end-to-end payment services, which means it can handle transactions from start to finish using blockchain, crypto, and fiat on-ramps. Clients can now use these services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and settlements happen in minutes instead of days, which is a big advance over older systems.

With global crypto adoption accelerating, particularly across fintech and emerging markets, Ripple’s move into the UAE reflects the region’s shift toward faster, low-cost, transparent financial infrastructure. The UAE is forecasted to become home to over 1 million businesses by 2030, many of which require efficient cross-border payment solutions.

The two new Ripple clients in the UAE bring different strengths to the table:

Both institutions highlighted Ripple’s ability to solve traditional pain points: high fees, delays, and lack of payment transparency. According to Ripple’s 2025 New Value Report, 64% of financial leaders in the Middle East and Africa cite faster payments as the top reason for adopting blockchain-based currency flows.

Ripple Payments is no longer a niche tool for crypto firms—it has grown into a global network processing more than $70 billion in volume, spanning 90+ payout markets and covering over 90% of the daily FX market.

Ripple’s infrastructure is built for scale. In addition to Dubai, Ripple’s licensed payments solution is operational in major economies including:

With over 60 regulatory licenses worldwide, Ripple has proven its ability to navigate the complex global compliance landscape—a necessity for crypto adoption at the institutional level.

As central banks, digital-first banks, and fintechs converge in the UAE’s pro-crypto environment, Ripple’s timing could not be better. Its combination of real-time settlement, regulatory compliance, and wide geographic coverage places it at the forefront of blockchain-enabled finance in the region.