- Ripple (RLUSD) has partnered with local firms to bring the U.S. dollar–backed stablecoin to Africa.
- Partnership is with Chipper Cash (payments), VALR (crypto exchange), and Yellow Card (payments infrastructure).
- RLUSD, backed by a NYDFS-regulated trust, has surpassed $700 million in supply since its launch.
Ripple is extending its enterprise-grade, U.S. dollar–backed stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), to institutional clients across Africa, the company announced via a press release. For this, it has partnered with leading regional platforms Chipper Cash, VALR, and Yellow Card.
Designed with credibility, compliance, and functionality at its core, RLUSD is backed by Ripple and regulated by the NYDFS. The stablecoin has already surpassed $700 million in market capitalization since its late 2024 debut.
Strong local partnerships & broad utility
Jack McDonald, Ripple’s SVP of Stablecoins, spoke of how RLUSD is gaining traction in institutional use cases from payments to tokenization. “We’re seeing demand for RLUSD from our customers and other key institutional players globally and are excited to now begin distribution in Africa through our local partners,” he added.
Newsletter
Get weekly updates on the newest crypto stories, case studies and tips right in your mailbox.
RLUSD is now incorporated into Ripple’s cross-border payment solutions, further broadening its utility for clients in Africa and beyond. This expansion builds on the rising importance of digital dollars in Africa, where stablecoins like USDT have long been used informally for savings and remittances. Companies like Circle (USDC via Onafriq) and Visa (through Yellow Card) are also advancing stablecoin payments across emerging markets.
Innovative African use cases
In Kenya, Mercy Corps Ventures is piloting RLUSD for climate-risk insurance, automatically disbursing payouts for drought and rainfall events based on satellite data. At the same time, Trident Digital is pursuing regulatory licensing for RLUSD across multiple African jurisdictions to ensure broader institutional adoption by mid-2026. These use cases demonstrate the stablecoin’s potential for real-world resilience applications.
