Ripple’s licensing by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) marks it as the first blockchain-powered payment provider in the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC), a hub aiming to lead global fintech innovation, as per a 2025 BusinessWire report.
This move aligns with Dubai’s Blockchain Strategy, launched by Sheikh Hamdan, targeting full blockchain integration for government services by 2020, with potential savings of 5.5 billion dirhams annually in document processing alone, according to Digital Dubai.
The Middle East and Africa region shows high blockchain readiness, with 82% of finance leaders confident in adoption, per a 2024 Ripple survey, positioning Dubai as a key player in regulated crypto payments globally.
