XRP News Today: Bahrain Leverages Ripple Partnership to Cement Blockchain Leadership in Gulf

Ripple has announced a strategic partnership with Bahrain Fintech Bay (BFB), the Kingdom of Bahrain's primary fintech incubator, to advance blockchain innovation and digital asset adoption in the Gulf region. The collaboration, unveiled on October 9, 2025, aligns with Ripple's broader strategy to integrate blockchain technology into regulated financial markets, building on its recent Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) license and expanding its footprint in the Middle East. The partnership focuses on co-developing pilot projects, educational programs, and accelerator initiatives to explore use cases such as cross-border payments, tokenization, and stablecoin applications.

The initiative aims to position Bahrain as a regional hub for compliant blockchain deployments, leveraging BFB's expertise in fostering fintech ecosystems and Ripple's global infrastructure for digital asset solutions. Under the agreement, Ripple will introduce its Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin to Bahrain's financial institutions, alongside its institutional custody services. RLUSD, designed for enterprise use and regulatory clarity, has been central to Ripple's efforts to bridge tokenized assets with traditional payment systems. The stablecoin's rollout in Bahrain will be supported by the country's July 2025 regulatory framework, which permits the issuance of fiat-backed stablecoins pegged to the U.S. dollar, Bahraini dinar, or other accepted currencies.

Bahrain's Central Bank has actively supported the development of a regulated digital asset environment, with BFB serving as a key collaborator. Suzy Al Zeerah, BFB's Chief Operating Officer, emphasized the partnership's role in bridging global innovators with the local ecosystem, creating opportunities for pilots, talent development, and cutting-edge financial solutions. "Bahrain has long been recognized as a financial services hub, and today this legacy is being further enhanced in the digital assets and blockchain space," she stated. Ripple's Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, Reece Merrick, noted that the Kingdom's early adoption of blockchain regulation makes it an ideal partner for scaling innovative use cases.

Ripple's expansion into Bahrain follows a series of regulatory milestones, including its DFSA license in March 2025, which made it the first blockchain-enabled payments provider licensed by the Dubai Financial Services Authority. The company now holds over 60 regulatory licenses globally, enabling it to operate in jurisdictions with clear frameworks for digital assets. In Bahrain, the partnership will also include participation in regional events such as Fintech Forward 2025, where industry leaders discuss the future of finance.

The collaboration underscores growing demand in the Gulf for blockchain solutions that address inefficiencies in traditional cross-border payments. Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin, which has seen adoption in markets like Africa and Japan, is expected to support use cases such as remittances, treasury management, and tokenized asset settlements in Bahrain. The stablecoin's market cap has surpassed $135 million since its December 2024 launch, reflecting increasing institutional interest in stablecoins with regulatory clarity.

Ripple's strategic focus on the Middle East aligns with regional trends showing heightened confidence in digital assets. Surveys indicate that 85% of finance and enterprise firms in the Gulf have increased their confidence in digital assets over the past six months, with 97% anticipating significant or massive impacts on business within three years. The region's appetite for institutional-grade solutions, including custody services, further positions Ripple to capitalize on its existing infrastructure and regulatory approvals.

The partnership with BFB marks a pivotal step in Ripple's regional strategy, complementing its efforts to establish blockchain as a foundational element of modern financial infrastructure. By combining Ripple's global expertise with Bahrain's regulatory leadership, the collaboration aims to foster innovation while ensuring compliance, ultimately shaping the future of finance in the Gulf.

Source: [1] CoinDesk (https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/10/09/ripple-expands-into-bahrain-in-boost-for-rlusd)

[2] Cointelegraph (https://cointelegraph.com/news/ripple-bahrain-rlusd-stablecoin-tokenization-partnership)

[3] Invezz (https://invezz.com/news/2025/10/09/ripple-to-launch-rlusd-stablecoin-in-bahrain/)

[4] Cryptotimes (https://www.cryptotimes.io/2025/10/09/ripple-partners-with-bahrain-fintech-bay-to-boost-blockchain-growth/)

[5] Ripple Press (https://ripple.com/ripple-press/ripple-expands-into-the-kingdom-of-bahrain-through-strategic-partnership-with-bahrain-fintech-bay/)

[6] Blockonomi (https://blockonomi.com/ripple-expands-middle-east-presence-through-bahrain-fintech-bay-partnership/)

[7] TheCoinRise (https://thecoinrise.com/ripple-secures-full-dfsa-approval-to-expand-crypto-payments-in-uae/)

[8] TheCryptoBasic (https://thecryptobasic.com/2025/03/13/ripple-gets-dubai-financial-services-authority-green-light-to-offer-regulated-crypto-payments/)

[9] Ripple Insights (https://ripple.com/insights/ripple-roots-in-the-middle-east-as-adoption-of-crypto-solutions-grows/)