Ripple is significantly increasing its presence in the Middle East through a new strategic partnership with Bahrain Fintech Bay (BFB), a key fintech ecosystem builder in the region.
Announced on October 9th, the collaboration aims to integrate blockchain and stablecoin infrastructure into Bahrain’s regulated financial markets. Ripple and BFB will work together on pilot projects and educational programs focused on accelerating the adoption of digital assets in areas like cross-border payments, tokenization, and stablecoins.
According to Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Middle East managing director, the company plans to offer Bahraini financial institutions its digital asset custody solution and the enterprise Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin. Merrick praised Bahrain for being an early adopter of blockchain and one of the first globally to regulate crypto assets.
This move builds on the Central Bank of Bahrain’s (CBB) new framework for regulating stablecoin issuers unveiled in July and follows Ripple securing a license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) earlier this year. The partnership highlights the growing demand among Gulf institutions to adopt digital asset technologies within clear regulatory guidelines.
Suzy Al Zeerah, COO of Bahrain Fintech Bay, emphasized the partnership’s role in connecting local financial services with global innovators to create opportunities for cutting-edge solutions that will “shape the future of finance.”
October 2025, Cryptoniteuae
