Ripple Receives Full Banking License in UAE: Expands Middle East Operations
Ripple has been granted a full banking license by the UAE Central Bank, making it one of the first blockchain-native companies to receive comprehensive banking authorization in the Gulf region.
DUBAI, UAE, May 21, 2026 — Ripple today announced it has received a full banking license from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, authorizing the company to provide payment, custody, and digital asset exchange services to businesses and institutions across the GCC.
The license represents one of the most comprehensive regulatory authorizations granted to a blockchain-native company globally. Ripple will open its UAE headquarters in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in Q3 2026, with an initial team of 200 employees.
The UAE operation will focus on cross-border payment corridors connecting the Gulf with South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa—corridors that collectively process $400B in annual remittances.
