XRP News: Ripple Secures First Payment License in Middle East, Unlocking $40 Billion Market

Ripple has made a significant breakthrough in the Middle East by securing the first payment license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), opening up vast opportunities in the UAE’s cross-border payments market.

Ripple Breaks Ground In Middle East: Secures First Payment License

Ripple has become the first blockchain payments provider to receive official licensing from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). This approval allows Ripple to tap into the UAE’s $40 billion cross-border payments market. On 13 March 2025, Ripple announced unlocking fully regulated cross-border crypto payments in the UAE, bringing faster, cheaper, and more transparent transactions to this market. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse commented on the development, stating that the crypto industry is entering an unprecedented period of growth driven by greater regulatory clarity and increasing institutional adoption. He also noted that the UAE is well-placed to benefit from its early leadership in creating a supportive environment for tech and crypto innovation.

$3 XRP Price Explosion In The Cards As Ripple Taps UAE’s Thriving $40 Billion Cross-Border Payments Market

Ripple, a leading provider of enterprise blockchain and crypto solutions, announced Thursday that it had secured full regulatory approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to offer cross-border crypto payment services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With this new Dubai license, Ripple is poised to tap into the UAE’s flourishing $40 billion cross-border payments market. This approval marks Ripple as the first payments provider of its kind licensed to operate within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and signifies a significant expansion in the Middle East.

Franklin Templeton Joins XRP ETF Race Amid SEC Delays

Franklin Templeton has filed an S-1 with the SEC to seek approval for an XRP ETF. If approved, the ETF will provide investors with direct exposure to Ripple’s XRP by tracking its price without requiring them to hold the digital asset directly. The proposed Franklin XRP Trust aims to reflect the performance of the price of XRP before payment of the Fund’s expenses and will be listed on the Cboe BZX Exchange, with Coinbase Custody serving as the fund’s custodian. Franklin Templeton joins other asset managers such as Grayscale, WisdomTree, Bitwise, 21Shares, and Canary Capital in awaiting regulatory approval for an XRP ETF.

Pundit Foresees Major Institutional Shift Toward XRP

Popular XRP advocate Linda P. Jones believes that institutions will expand their crypto investments beyond Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) to include XRP ETFs. This stance comes amid increasing institutional interest in XRP, as evidenced by a growing number of ETF filings. Prominent crypto analyst Scott Melker expressed skepticism about demand for new crypto ETFs, stating that except for Bitcoin, he doubts anyone will buy them anytime soon. However, Jones dismissed this notion, asserting that institutions will diversify out of Bitcoin and Ethereum.