- RLUSD has been recognized as a fiat-referenced token accepted for use on the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
- Ripple received full regulatory approval to operate in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in March.
- The DFSA authorized the use of RLUSD within the DIFC in June.
Ripple’s dollar-pegged stablecoin has secured further regulatory acceptance in the Middle East, strengthening connections between traditional finance and digital assets as the United Arab Emirates tightens oversight of decentralized finance and Web3 activity.
This recognition permits licensed firms operating within Abu Dhabi’s financial free zone to use RLUSD for regulated activities, reinforcing the UAE’s strategy to pair innovation with clearer regulatory standards.
As the UAE transforms payment, lending and custody services on digital rails, Ripple’s footprint in the region is expanding across multiple regulated hubs that already host global financial firms.
ADGM adds RLUSD to regulated activities
Ripple announced that RLUSD is now recognized as a fiat-referenced token accepted for use within Abu Dhabi Global Market. ADGM, located on Al Maryah and Al Reem islands, operates as an international financial free zone with its own regulatory framework.
The designation was granted by the regulator responsible for financial services in the zone. It means ADGM-authorized firms can use RLUSD for permitted services, provided they meet the requirements set for fiat-referenced tokens.
Those requirements include rules around reserve management, transparency and disclosure. Ripple noted that RLUSD currently has a market capitalization above one billion dollars and is being adopted for uses such as collateral and payments.
Launched at the end of 2024, RLUSD is pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar and fully backed by cash and cash equivalents. The stablecoin is issued under a limited-purpose trust charter from the New York Department of Financial Services, which establishes custody and reserve protections.
Ripple expands presence across UAE financial hubs
Recognition in Abu Dhabi builds on Ripple’s regulatory progress within the UAE’s digital assets ecosystem. In October 2024, the company confirmed it was pursuing a license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority to expand its services in the country, and later received a principles-based approval as part of its plan to operate in Dubai’s main financial zone.
In March, Ripple obtained full regulatory approval to provide crypto cross-border payment services within the Dubai International Financial Centre. DIFC operates under its own regulation and is widely used by global firms serving markets across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
In June, the Dubai Financial Services Authority authorized the use of RLUSD for regulated activities within the DIFC, enabling firms in the zone to integrate the stablecoin into payments and treasury functions. Ripple also onboarded Zand Bank and fintech app Mamo as early adopters of Ripple Payments, its blockchain-powered system for institutional transfers.
UAE broadens national oversight of cryptocurrencies
The UAE is aligning zone-specific approvals with a national framework that brings more of the digital assets market under centralized supervision. This week, authorities introduced a new central bank law that formally places decentralized finance and much Web3 activity into a regulated structure.
Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 came into force in September 2025. It requires platforms, infrastructure providers and protocols involved in lending, custody, exchanges, payments or investment services to obtain licenses from the Central Bank of the UAE by September 2026.
The initiative creates a common regulatory expectation for firms operating in digital finance across the country.
Stablecoin usage rises as rules become clearer
The combination of ADGM recognition, DIFC approvals and a national regulatory framework positions RLUSD to play a larger role in institutional financial services across the UAE. With regulated firms in multiple zones now permitted to use the stablecoin for defined activities, Ripple’s expansion mirrors the country’s broader shift toward a structured approach to digital assets.
The new law signals the UAE’s intent to support innovation while ensuring digital asset operations meet the same standards applied to other financial services. Authorization of RLUSD in Abu Dhabi comes at a time when regulated stablecoins are increasingly used for settlement, payments and collateral on international markets.