Ripple’s Regulated Payment Services Expand in Singapore - A Strategic Move in Asia’s Crypto Hub
Ripple just landed another key piece on Asia's regulatory chessboard. The blockchain payments giant is expanding its regulated footprint in Singapore—a market that's become the de facto sandbox for crypto's grown-up phase.
Why Singapore Matters More Than Ever
Forget the wild west. The real action is in jurisdictions that offer clarity, not chaos. Singapore's Monetary Authority (MAS) has been methodically building a framework that welcomes innovation while demanding compliance. Ripple's move here isn't just growth; it's a calculated endorsement of a regulated future.
The Institutional Playbook
This isn't about retail speculation. Ripple's expansion targets the plumbing of global finance—cross-border settlements, corporate treasury flows, the unsexy but trillion-dollar backbone that traditional banks have monopolized for decades. They're not chasing memecoins; they're courting CFOs.
The Cynical Take
Let's be real—half the finance sector still thinks 'blockchain' is a new type of bicycle lock. Watching legacy institutions scramble to understand digital asset regulation is like watching your grandpa try to use a smartphone. Painful, but inevitable.
Ripple's Singapore push proves a simple truth: the real crypto winners won't be the ones who evade regulators, but the ones who learn to speak their language. The frontier has moved from technical whitepapers to compliance manuals. Boring? Maybe. Profitable? Absolutely.
Ripple expands institutional capabilities in Singapore
In a statement, Monica Long, President of Ripple, mentioned that the firm acknowledges Singapore’s innovative approach. She also expressed their belief that the expanded license enhances their ability to continue investing in the country and to establish the necessary infrastructure that financial institutions need to transfer their money effectively, swiftly, and securely.
For international transactions, sources highlighted that Ripple payments utilize digital payment tokens to facilitate this activity. Some of these digital payment tokens include their stablecoin, RLUSD, and XRP. These services were designed to function as both an on-ramp and an off-ramp, helping banks and businesses with collection, holding, swapping, and payouts, according to Ripple.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Ripple has made several key acquisitions to enhance its business and services targeting institutions this year. Ripple bought Palisade, a crypto firm that offers both wallet-as-a-service technology and operates as a licensed digital asset custodian in France.
Regarding its MPI license, it is worth noting that the company acquired this license in 2023. The MPI license enables it to provide its users in Singapore with regulated digital payment token services.
When sources checked the MAS website on Monday of this week, they noticed that the website only lists digital payment token services that are licensed under Ripple. With this token, one can purchase or sell digital payment tokens or provide users with a platform that allows them to trade these tokens.
Singapore thrives due to acceptance of crypto activities
Since 2017, Ripple has been actively operating in Singapore. When asked to comment on the country, the firm described Singapore as a significant area for its global operations.
Fiona Murray, currently serving as Ripple’s vice president and managing director for the Asia Pacific, weighed in on the topic of discussion. Murray stated that the country is thriving due to onchain activity, which is increasing significantly in the area, with a rise of around 70% compared to the previous year. This activity positions Singapore as a major player in this surge.
“With this wider range of payment activities, we can better assist the institutions driving this growth by providing a variety of regulated payment services, which will make payments faster and more efficient for our customers,” she added.
On the other hand, data from Chainalysis’ 2025 Global Adoption Index, published on September 3, noted that the Asia-Pacific region recorded the highest growth compared to previous years.
At this time, the total value received had totaled to $2.36 trillion, reflecting a 69% increase, with India, Pakistan, and Vietnam outperforming other countries. Notably, South Korea and Pakistan were among the top 20 in the ranking.
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