Ripple RLUSD Approved for Institutional Use in Abu Dhabi
Ripple’s dollar-pegged stablecoin was cleared for use by establishments in Abu Dhabi after successful recognition as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token by the native watchdog.
In a Thursday announcement, Ripple mentioned the approval permits regulated companies to deploy Ripple USD (RLUSD) contained in the Abu Dhabi Global Market’s (ADGM) monetary zone, a global monetary middle and free zone situated on Al Maryah and Al Reem Islands in Abu Dhabi.
“With a market capitalization of over $1 billion and growing adoption in core financial uses like collateral and payments, RLUSD is quickly becoming a go-to USD stablecoin for major institutions,” mentioned Jack McDonald, senior vp of stablecoins at Ripple.
The inexperienced mild got here from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority, which oversees exercise in the ADGM. Under the choice, firms licensed by the regulator can use RLUSD for permitted actions, offered they meet compliance necessities tied to fiat-referenced tokens, together with reserve administration and disclosure obligations.
Related: Ripple vs. XRP vs. XRP Ledger: Key Differences, Explained
Ripple’s push into the UAE
In October 2024, Ripple revealed it was pursuing a license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) as a part of its push to develop digital-asset companies in the UAE, securing in-principle approval later that month.
In March, the corporate confirmed it had acquired full regulatory approval, permitting it to supply cross-border crypto cost companies contained in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), a serious free financial zone with its personal regulatory framework.
In June, the DFSA authorised RLUSD for use by firms working contained in the DIFC, permitting the stablecoin for use for regulated actions reminiscent of funds and treasury administration.
In the UAE, Ripple has additionally signed up Zand Bank and fintech app Mamo as early customers of its blockchain-based funds stack, Ripple Payments.
RLUSD, launched in late 2024, is issued beneath a limited-purpose belief constitution from the New York Department of Financial Services. It is pegged 1:1 to the US greenback and totally backed by money and equivalents.
Related: Abu Dhabi Investment Council triples stake in Bitcoin ETF in Q3: Report
UAE regulation pulls DeFi and Web3 beneath central financial institution oversight
Earlier this week, the UAE handed a sweeping new central financial institution regulation that brings decentralized finance (DeFi) and far of the Web3 sector beneath formal regulatory oversight.
Federal Decree Law No. 6 of 2025, in power since September 2025, requires protocols, platforms and infrastructure suppliers concerned in funds, lending, custody, exchanges or funding companies to acquire licenses from the Central Bank of the UAE by September 2026.
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