Ripple Expands in Africa as Institutional Demand for Digital Custody Surges

Ripple’s latest move in Africa signals a bold stride for digital finance, teaming with Absa Bank to deliver institutional asset custody in South Africa and expand its blockchain infrastructure footprint across rapidly growing global markets.

Ripple Expands in Africa With Major Custody Deal

Ripple is advancing its presence in global finance as demand for blockchain-based infrastructure accelerates across emerging markets. The company announced on Oct. 15, 2025, that it has formed a strategic collaboration with Absa Bank to deliver institutional digital asset custody services in South Africa. The agreement makes Absa Ripple’s first major custody partner in Africa and further extends the firm’s growing network across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.

Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, stated:

Africa is experiencing a major shift in how value is stored and exchanged, and our partnership with Absa underscores Ripple’s commitment to unlocking the potential of digital assets on the continent.

Ripple explained that “through the partnership, Absa will leverage Ripple’s institutional-grade digital asset custody technology to deliver scalable and secure storage for tokenized assets, including cryptocurrencies.”

The company explained:

This partnership is a result of the growing demand for secure, compliant digital asset infrastructure across emerging markets.

“Ripple’s expanding global custody network now includes clients across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa, supporting financial institutions as they embrace the opportunities presented by digital asset technology,” the announcement details.

The crypto firm noted that its digital asset solutions are attracting both traditional banks and crypto-native firms. “Ripple is seeing increasing demand for its payments solution across Africa from both crypto-native firms and traditional financial institutions,” the company stated. This expansion follows Ripple’s recent initiatives supporting Chipper Cash and launching its USD-backed stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), in Africa. With more than 60 regulatory licenses globally, Ripple’s secure, compliant infrastructure positions it as a leading provider of institutional-grade custody and payment services for financial institutions exploring digital asset integration.

FAQ 🧭

• What is Ripple’s latest move in Africa?

Ripple has partnered with Absa Bank to provide institutional digital asset custody services in South Africa.

• Why is Ripple expanding into emerging markets like Africa?

Ripple is responding to growing demand for secure, compliant blockchain-based infrastructure across emerging markets.

• What does Ripple offer through its partnership with Absa Bank?

The partnership enables Absa to use Ripple’s custody tech to securely store tokenized assets and cryptocurrencies.

• How does Ripple’s expansion benefit financial institutions?

Ripple’s compliant and scalable digital asset infrastructure supports both traditional and crypto-native financial firms embracing blockchain technology.