XRP News Today: Ripple's Africa Custody Debut: Securing the Continent's Digital Value Shift

Ripple, the digital asset infrastructure provider, has expanded its presence in Africa through a strategic partnership with Absa Bank, one of South Africa's largest financial institutions, to offer institutional-grade digital asset custody services. The collaboration, announced on October 15, 2025, marks Ripple's first major custody partnership on the continent and underscores its broader 2025 Africa strategy, which includes initiatives such as cross-border payments via Chipper Cash and the rollout of its USD-backed stablecoin, RLUSD, through partners like VALR.

Under the agreement, Absa will leverage Ripple's custody technology to provide secure storage solutions for tokenized assets and cryptocurrencies to its institutional clients in South Africa. The move aligns with growing regulatory clarity across Africa, including Kenya's recent digital assets bill, which aims to establish a legal framework for virtual asset service providers. "Africa is experiencing a major shift in how value is stored and exchanged," said Reece Merrick, Ripple's Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, emphasizing the partnership's role in unlocking the continent's digital asset potential.

The partnership builds on Ripple's existing footprint in Africa, which includes supporting Chipper Cash for crypto-enabled payments and introducing RLUSD to the region. Absa's entry into digital asset custody reflects rising institutional demand for secure infrastructure, with Robyn Lawson, Head of Digital Product at Absa, noting that Ripple's technology meets "the highest security and operational standards". This collaboration also positions South Africa as a key market for regulated crypto services, a trend amplified by improving legal frameworks across emerging markets.

While the partnership is framed as a bullish development for Africa's digital finance ecosystem, XRP's price action remains mixed. The asset trades at $2.50, with key support identified at $2.40 and resistance at $2.60, according to order book data from Binance Futures. Community reactions on platforms like X highlight both optimism about institutional adoption and skepticism about immediate impacts on XRP's value.

Ripple's global custody network now spans Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa, reflecting its ambition to become a backbone for institutional blockchain adoption. The company's 2025 New Value Report noted that 64% of Middle East and Africa finance leaders prioritize faster payments and settlement times as a driver for blockchain integration. With over 60 regulatory licenses globally, Ripple aims to address compliance concerns as it expands into markets with nascent digital asset ecosystems.

The partnership with Absa also complements Ripple's recent stablecoin initiatives, including RLUSD's deployment in climate risk insurance pilots in Kenya and its adoption by institutions like AMINA Bank. These moves highlight Ripple's strategy to anchor its digital assets in real-world use cases while expanding custody infrastructure to support institutional participation.