By Aarav Garg
Today
- Cross Border Payments
- Digital Banking
- Digital Lending
Ripple has expanded its footprint in the Middle East with a new regional headquarters in Dubai, signalling continued investment in blockchain-based payments and digital asset infrastructure across the region.
The company said its new Middle East and Africa (MEA) hub in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) will support growing demand for regulated cross-border payment and custody solutions, while creating capacity to scale its regional operations. The office is expected to allow Ripple to double the size of its local team over time.
“In recent years the Middle East has become an increasingly vital driver of Ripple’s global growth. Our new regional headquarters is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to playing our part in the region’s upward trajectory,” said Reece Merrick, Managing Director, Middle East and Africa at Ripple. “From our earliest days in the UAE, we have seen first-hand the appetite from local businesses for regulated, blockchain-powered payment infrastructure, an appetite that is only growing. A larger team, based here in Dubai, will enable us to go further in supporting our clients and partners across the region and beyond.”
The expansion comes as demand rises for blockchain-enabled financial infrastructure, particularly in cross-border payments, where institutions are exploring alternatives to traditional correspondent banking models.
“Ripple’s expansion within DIFC is a strong signal of the confidence that world-leading digital asset firms have in Dubai as a global hub for blockchain technology,” said Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer at DIFC Authority. “Since establishing its regional headquarters here, Ripple has been a model for how digital asset firms can operate with both ambition and accountability – connecting institutions to the future of finance through regulated, scalable technology. We look forward to deepening that partnership as they grow their presence in the DIFC.”
More recently, the DFSA approved RLUSD, Ripple’s dollar-backed stablecoin, as a recognised crypto token, allowing regulated firms in DIFC to use it within their operations.
The new headquarters reflects broader momentum in the UAE’s financial ecosystem, where regulators have taken a structured approach to digital assets, attracting global firms seeking clarity and access to regional markets.
Ripple said the expanded presence will strengthen its ability to support clients locally while advancing its role in building regulated blockchain infrastructure across key financial corridors in the Middle East and Africa.