Ripple’s institutional-grade stablecoin RLUSD has surpassed $1 billion in market capitalization, marking a new milestone in its global rollout and regulatory recognition.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) recently approved RLUSD as a recognized crypto token for use within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), reinforcing Dubai’s commitment to a regulated, innovation-friendly digital asset ecosystem.
Issued under the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Trust Company Charter, RLUSD is among the few stablecoins globally that meet both U.S. and UAE regulatory standards. Ripple says the stablecoin is fully backed 1:1 by U.S. dollar reserves, maintained under strict oversight and verified through third-party audits.
Built for institutional transparency and compliance
Ripple designed RLUSD for institutional-grade use, with compliance and transparency at its core. The stablecoin operates under strong safeguards and regulated reserve management, aligning with DFSA’s robust framework for digital assets.
Since obtaining a full DFSA license earlier this year, Ripple has expanded its footprint in the UAE. The company’s infrastructure now supports several key initiatives, including:
- The Dubai Land Department’s adoption of the XRP Ledger for real estate tokenization,
- Strategic collaborations with Zand Bank and Mamo, and
- Integration of RLUSD into Ripple’s DFSA-licensed payments platform.
These efforts underline Ripple’s growing role in supporting Dubai’s ambitions to become a global hub for stablecoin innovation and blockchain-based payments.
UAE’s crypto economy shows dual-track adoption
UAE received $56 billion in crypto inflows between July 2024 and June 2025 one of the highest globally.
The growth was driven by both institutional transfers (+54.7%) and merchant services, including small retail (+88.1%), large retail (+83.6%), and professional (+79.5%) transactions. Analysts say this reflects a “dual-track” adoption model — institutional maturity alongside expanding retail use cases such as payments and commerce.
DFSA-regulated firms within the DIFC can now utilize RLUSD across a range of financial applications, from cross-border payments to tokenized asset ecosystems, cementing Ripple’s role in shaping the region’s digital finance infrastructure.