Ripple opens Dubai HQ to double Middle East and Africa team amid demand surge

Ripple has expanded its presence in the UAE by opening a new Middle East and Africa headquarters in Dubai, increasing its capacity to grow its regional operations.

According to Ripple, the office is based in the Dubai International Financial Centre and is intended to support rising demand for regulated blockchain payment and custody services across the region.

Ripple said the new facility provides space to double the size of its regional team as it scales support for clients and partners across the Middle East and Africa.

The company stated that its presence in Dubai dates back to 2020, with the region now accounting for a significant share of its global customer base, including institutions such as 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. 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,” said Reece Merrick, Managing Director for Middle East and Africa at Ripple.

Dubai officials have positioned Ripple’s expansion as evidence of growing institutional confidence in the emirate’s digital asset 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 His Excellency Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of the DIFC Authority, adding that the company has operated with “ambition and accountability” while connecting institutions to regulated and scalable financial infrastructure.

Ripple’s regional growth has been supported by regulatory approvals tied to its operations in Dubai. The company stated it became the first blockchain payments provider to receive a full license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority in March 2025, allowing it to offer regulated cross-border digital payment services from within DIFC.

Ripple also confirmed that RLUSD, its dollar-backed stablecoin, has been approved by the DFSA as a recognised crypto token, enabling regulated firms within DIFC to use the asset.

Ripple said the expansion will allow it to deepen support for clients and partners across the Middle East and Africa as adoption of regulated blockchain infrastructure continues to grow. The company added that a larger Dubai-based team will help extend its reach in the region while building on existing relationships with financial institutions already using its services.