Ripple Secures Singapore’s Green Light to Supercharge Regulated Payment Services

Ripple just landed a major regulatory win in one of Asia's premier financial hubs. The Singaporean Monetary Authority has granted the crypto payments firm a key license, clearing the way for a significant expansion of its on-demand liquidity services.

What This License Actually Unlocks

Forget speculative trading—this approval is about real-world utility. It allows Ripple to legally offer its cross-border payment solutions to a broader range of institutional clients in the region. Think faster, cheaper corporate treasury operations, not retail moon-shot bets.

The Regulatory Chess Game

Singapore's move signals a continued, pragmatic approach to crypto—welcoming infrastructure that solves actual problems while keeping the casino elements at arm's length. It's a stark contrast to the regulatory whiplash seen elsewhere, proving that clarity attracts builders, not just gamblers.

Why It Matters Beyond the Headline

This isn't just a trophy for Ripple's boardroom. It's a validation of the use case for digital assets in moving value. Every such approval chips away at the old-guard correspondent banking system, a network so slow and costly it makes you wonder if the fees are funding a secret space program for bankers.

The license positions Ripple to capture more of the booming Asia-Pacific payment corridors. While the crypto crowd obsesses over price charts, the real action is in these quiet, bureaucratic rooms where the future of global finance is being rewired—one regulated approval at a time.

Ripple President: Singapore Approval Sets Stage for Bigger Investment Push

Ripple President Monica Long said the company values Singapore’s regulatory stance and sees the broader license as a foundation for further investment.

She added that the move WOULD help Ripple build infrastructure for financial institutions seeking faster and more secure cross-border payments.

At the center of those services is Ripple Payments, which connects clients to on- and off-ramps for collections, custody, currency conversion and payouts.

The system uses digital payment tokens such as RLUSD and XRP to settle transactions across borders, aiming to reduce fees and processing times for corporate users moving money internationally.

Singapore has been part of Ripple’s strategy since 2017. The firm first secured its MPI license in 2023, allowing it to provide regulated digital token services.

While the MAS registry still lists token-related activities under the license, the company says the latest approval widens its operating scope beyond those functions, positioning it to offer a broader set of institutional services.

Huge news from Singapore: https://t.co/KVxTs7IEKc

The @MAS_sg has approved an expanded scope of payment activities for our Major Payment Institution license – enabling us to deliver end-to-end, fully licensed payment services to our customers in the region.

The regulatory milestone arrives alongside an acquisition drive designed to support enterprise clients.

In early November, Ripple bought Palisade, a wallet and custodian provider, as part of a plan to bundle custody with payments and liquidity tools for large customers.

Regional growth has been a key driver. Ripple Asia-Pacific head Fiona Murray said on-chain activity in the region has climbed about 70% year-over-year, with Singapore at what she called “the center of that growth.”

She said the expanded permissions will help Ripple deliver regulated services “to the institutions driving that growth.”

Ripple’s RLUSD Wins Regulatory Green Light in Abu Dhabi

Last week, Ripple’s dollar-backed stablecoin RLUSD was cleared for institutional use in Abu Dhabi after receiving recognition as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token from the local regulator.

The approval allows licensed firms within Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to use RLUSD for regulated financial activities inside the free-zone financial center.

The green light was granted by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority, which supervises ADGM. Under the rules, companies can deploy RLUSD if they meet requirements around reserves, transparency, and compliance.

The decision strengthens Ripple’s expansion across the UAE. In recent months, the company secured approvals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and onboarded partners including Zand Bank and Mamo.

As reported, Ripple is also weighing whether to bring staking to the XRP Ledger (XRPL), a MOVE that would push the decade-old blockchain deeper into the rapidly expanding world of decentralized finance.