Ripple is expanding its presence in the Middle East through a new partnership with Bahrain Fintech Bay, the Kingdom’s leading fintech incubator and ecosystem platform, as part of its efforts to integrate blockchain and stablecoin infrastructure into regulated financial markets.
The move builds on the license Ripple obtained from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) earlier this year and highlights the growing demand for Gulf institutions to adopt digital asset technologies within clear regulatory frameworks.
“The Kingdom of Bahrain became an early adopter of blockchain technology and was one of the first countries in the world to regulate cryptoassets,” said Reece Merrick, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa at Ripple. “At Ripple, we look forward to working with Bahrain Fintech Bay to continue building the foundation for a thriving local blockchain industry, as well as ultimately offering our digital asset custody solution and stablecoin. to financial institutions in Bahrain.
As part of the agreement, Ripple and Bahrain Fintech Bay will collaborate on pilot projects, educational programs and local acceleration initiatives aimed at expanding digital asset use cases such as tokenization, cross-border payments and stablecoin applications.
Ripple is also participating in the Fintech Forward 2025 conference in Sakhir this week, alongside regional banks, regulators and global fintech companies.
“Bahrain has long been recognized as a financial services hub, and today this heritage is further strengthened in the area of digital assets and blockchain,” said Suzy Al Zeerah, Chief Operating Officer of Bahrain Fintech Bay. “This partnership with Ripple reflects Bahrain FinTech Bay’s commitment to bringing global innovators closer to the local ecosystem, creating opportunities for pilot projects, talent development and cutting-edge solutions that will shape the future of finance.
Ripple, which operates more than 60 licenses and regulatory registrations globally, said the partnership would help position Bahrain as a potential hub for compliant blockchain deployments in the Gulf region.
The company’s RLUSD stablecoin, designed for enterprise use and regulatory clarity, has become a central part of its strategy to connect tokenized assets to traditional payments infrastructure.
