• Ripple expands into Bahrain through a strategic partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay to strengthen its Middle East footprint.
• The collaboration aims to accelerate crypto adoption, pilot blockchain projects, and introduce Ripple’s custody and stablecoin solutions.
• Ripple now holds over 60 global regulatory licenses, including a Dubai DFSA license obtained earlier this year.

Ripple has announced its entry into the Kingdom of Bahrain through a new strategic partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay, one of the leading fintech incubators in the region.

This move marks another major step in Ripple’s Middle East expansion, following its regulatory license approval in Dubai earlier this year.

The collaboration is designed to strengthen the region’s blockchain ecosystem, accelerate crypto adoption, and introduce innovative financial solutions tailored for local institutions.

According to Ripple’s press release, the agreement will see both organizations work together to build Bahrain’s digital asset infrastructure through pilot projects, educational initiatives, and technology demonstrations.

These efforts are aimed at supporting the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to developing a robust fintech environment that welcomes blockchain innovation and digital currency integration.

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Bahrain’s Role as a Blockchain Pioneer

It has established for itself a name as one of the most active countries in the Middle East when it comes to blockchain and cryptocurrency regulation.

Reece Merrick, Ripple Middle East and Africa Managing Director, pointed out that the Kingdom was one of the world’s earliest jurisdictions to license cryptoassets.

This early move has established Bahrain as a financial hub for fintech innovation, with foreign companies and developers willing to look into applications of decentralized finance.

Via such collaboration, Ripple is set to bring solutions, including Ripple Custody and stablecoin Ripple USD (RLUSD), to the financial sector of Bahrain.

The products should help in improving the management of digital assets as well as payment capability for cross-border transactions while remaining in tune with regional financial landscapes.

Strengthening Ripple’s Global Footprint

The move was simultaneous with Ripple’s involvement in the FinTech Forward 2025, an Economist Impact conference in Sakhir that brought financial and regulatory world experts from around the world.

The event provided an opportunity for Ripple to demonstrate its experience and willingness to push blockchain-based financial infrastructure development.

Ripple already possesses over 60 global regulatory licenses and registrations. Its Dubai Financial Services Authority license, which it received in March of 2025, enabled it to become the very first blockchain-enabled payments provider to meet such a milestone.

More than a decade of experience in virtual assets, Ripple’s compliant and secure platform is again a bridge between old-world finance and blockchain innovation, extending that reach further into the MENA regions through the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Also Read: Ripple Powers UC Berkeley’s Bold Leap Into the Future of Digital Assets With $1.3M Funding