Ripple is expanding his footprint in the Middle East through a new partnership with Bahrain Fintech Bay, the Kingdom’s most important fintech incubator and ecosystem platform, as part of its push to integrate blockchain and stableecoin infrastructure into regulated financial markets.
The relocation is based on Ripple’s Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) license obtained earlier this year and emphasizes a growing demand from the Gulf Institutions to adopt digital asset technologies under a clear regulatory framework.
“The Kingdom of Bahrain has appeared as an early adopter of blockchain technology and was one of the first jurisdictions globally to regulate cryptoassets,” said Reece Merrick, CEO of the Middle East and Africa in Ripple. “At Ripple, we look forward to working with Bahrain Fintech Bay to continue laying the foundation of a flowering local blockchain industry and ultimately offering our custody of digital assets and stableecoin to Bahrain’s financial institutions. “
Under the agreement, Ripple and Bahrain Fintech Bay will collaborate on pilot projects, educational programs and local accelerator initiatives aimed at expanding cases of using digital assets such as tokenization, cross-border payments and stablecoin applications.
Ripple is also participating in Fintech Forward 2025 conference in Sakhir this week with regional banks, regulators and global fintech companies.
“Bahrain has long been recognized as a hub for financial services, and today this legacy is further improving in the digital assets and the blockchain room,” said Suzy Al Zeerah, CEO of Bahrain Fintech Bay. “This partnership with Ripple reflects Bahrain Fintech Bay’s obligation to bridge global innovators with the local ecosystem, create opportunities for pilots, talent development and groundbreaking solutions that will shape the future of the financial.”
Ripple, which operates over 60 regulatory licenses and registrations globally, said the partnership will help place Bahrain as a potential hub for compatible blockchain implementations in the golf region.
The company’s RLUSD stableCOin, designed for business and regulatory clarity, has become central to its strategy for linking tokenized assets with traditional payment infrastructure.
