Ripple’s Bahrain Breakthrough: RLUSD Stablecoin & Custody Solutions Set to Reshape Middle East Finance

Ripple storms into Bahrain with dual-power play—launching its Ripple USD stablecoin while rolling out institutional-grade custody services that could redefine regional digital asset infrastructure.

The Regulatory Gambit

Securing approval from Bahrain's central bank positions Ripple as the first major player to bridge traditional Middle Eastern finance with blockchain innovation—just what you'd expect from a company tired of waiting for clearer U.S. regulations.

Custody Meets Compliance

Financial institutions across the Gulf now get enterprise-level digital asset protection paired with regulatory clarity—because nothing says 'serious money' like having both your crypto and paperwork in perfect order.

The Stablecoin Strategy

RLUSD enters a crowded field but with Bahrain's stamp of approval—proving sometimes the best way to win is to play where the rules are actually written down.

Regional Domination Blueprint

This Bahrain beachhead signals Ripple's broader Middle Eastern ambitions—because when Wall Street hesitates, the smart money builds where regulators aren't constantly changing their minds.

• Ripple expands into Bahrain through a strategic partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay to strengthen its Middle East footprint.
• The collaboration aims to accelerate crypto adoption, pilot blockchain projects, and introduce Ripple’s custody and stablecoin solutions.
• Ripple now holds over 60 global regulatory licenses, including a Dubai DFSA license obtained earlier this year.

Ripple has announced its entry into the Kingdom of Bahrain through a new strategic partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay, one of the leading fintech incubators in the region.

This MOVE marks another major step in Ripple’s Middle East expansion, following its regulatory license approval in Dubai earlier this year.

The collaboration is designed to strengthen the region’s blockchain ecosystem, accelerate crypto adoption, and introduce innovative financial solutions tailored for local institutions.

Next up → the Kingdom of Bahrain.
We're expanding our presence in the Middle East through a partnership with Bahrain @FinTechBay: https://t.co/6ygStbtPPv

Building on our Dubai regulatory license, this move reinforces our commitment to the MENA region.

Together, we'll…

According to Ripple’s press release, the agreement will see both organizations work together to build Bahrain’s digital asset infrastructure through pilot projects, educational initiatives, and technology demonstrations.

These efforts are aimed at supporting the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to developing a robust fintech environment that welcomes blockchain innovation and digital currency integration.

Bahrain’s Role as a Blockchain Pioneer

It has established for itself a name as one of the most active countries in the Middle East when it comes to blockchain and cryptocurrency regulation.

Reece Merrick, Ripple Middle East and Africa Managing Director, pointed out that the Kingdom was one of the world’s earliest jurisdictions to license cryptoassets.

This early move has established Bahrain as a financial hub for fintech innovation, with foreign companies and developers willing to look into applications of decentralized finance.

Via such collaboration, Ripple is set to bring solutions, including Ripple Custody and stablecoin Ripple USD (RLUSD), to the financial sector of Bahrain.

The products should help in improving the management of digital assets as well as payment capability for cross-border transactions while remaining in tune with regional financial landscapes.

Strengthening Ripple’s Global Footprint

The move was simultaneous with Ripple’s involvement in the FinTech Forward 2025, an Economist Impact conference in Sakhir that brought financial and regulatory world experts from around the world.

The event provided an opportunity for Ripple to demonstrate its experience and willingness to push blockchain-based financial infrastructure development.

Ripple already possesses over 60 global regulatory licenses and registrations. Its Dubai Financial Services Authority license, which it received in March of 2025, enabled it to become the very first blockchain-enabled payments provider to meet such a milestone.

More than a decade of experience in VIRTUAL assets, Ripple’s compliant and secure platform is again a bridge between old-world finance and blockchain innovation, extending that reach further into the MENA regions through the Kingdom of Bahrain.