Ripple has opened a new Middle East and Africa regional headquarters in Dubai’s International Financial Centre, expanding its UAE footprint as demand for regulated blockchain-based payments and custody infrastructure grows across the region.
Ripple Doubles Down On UAEThe firm first established its MEA regional headquarters in Dubai in 2020. Since then, the company says its regional business has expanded alongside demand from banks, fintechs and enterprises seeking blockchain-powered financial infrastructure. Its regional client and partner base includes Zand Bank, Ctrl Alt, Garanti BBVA, Absa Bank and Chipper Cash.
“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, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa. “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.”
For Dubai, Ripple’s expansion reinforces the emirate’s broader push to attract digital asset companies that can operate inside formal regulatory structures rather than outside them. The DIFC has positioned itself as a venue for financial firms that want access to digital asset rails while staying within a supervised framework.
“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.”
At press time, XRP traded at $1.3737.
