Just In: Ripple Extends Custody Services to Africa: Details

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  Ripple partners with Absa Bank to launch digital custody services.
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  The collaboration strengthens Ripple’s growing footprint across African financial markets.
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  Absa adopts Ripple’s secure technology to safeguard tokenized digital assets.

Ripple has expanded its digital asset custody services to Africa through a new partnership with Absa Bank in South Africa. The collaboration positions Ripple as a key player in delivering secure and compliant custody infrastructure to financial institutions across the continent.

Absa, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, will use Ripple’s institutional-grade technology to provide customers with safe storage for tokenized assets, including cryptocurrencies. According to Ripple, this marks the company’s first major custody partnership in Africa, reflecting the increasing demand for trusted digital asset solutions in emerging markets.

Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, Reece Merrick, said the continent is undergoing a major transformation in how value is exchanged. He added that partnering with Absa demonstrates Ripple’s commitment to advancing Africa’s digital finance ecosystem with technology that prioritizes security and compliance.

Absa Embraces Blockchain Innovation

Absa’s Head of Digital Product, Custody at Corporate and Investment Banking, Robyn Lawson, highlighted that the collaboration aligns with the bank’s mission to provide innovative and secure financial solutions. She noted that Ripple’s custody infrastructure allows Absa to maintain high operational standards while exploring new digital asset offerings for its clients.

As regulatory clarity grows across Africa, financial institutions are becoming more open to blockchain-based solutions. Ripple’s custody system offers institutions a reliable path to managing digital assets within secure and compliant frameworks.

Ripple Expands Its African Presence

This new alliance follows Ripple’s earlier move to partner with Africa-based payment provider Chipper Cash, integrating crypto-enabled payment technology to enhance regional transactions. Ripple also introduced its USD-backed stablecoin, RLUSD, into the African market to support broader digital finance innovation.

According to Ripple’s 2025 New Value Report, 64 percent of finance leaders in the Middle East and Africa view faster settlement times as the key driver for adopting blockchain-based currencies. The report highlights a rising appetite among financial institutions to adopt blockchain technology for cross-border payments and asset management.

A Growing Global Network

Ripple’s custody expansion into Africa adds to its growing international network spanning Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America. With more than 60 regulatory licenses worldwide, Ripple continues to establish itself as a trusted provider of digital asset infrastructure.

Its proven record of compliance and secure technology positions it as a reliable partner for financial institutions seeking to modernize asset management. This collaboration with Absa underscores Ripple’s strategy to strengthen institutional trust and accelerate blockchain adoption globally.

Ripple’s partnership with Absa Bank marks a significant milestone in extending its custody services to Africa. The move reinforces Ripple’s mission to deliver secure, scalable, and compliant digital asset infrastructure, supporting Africa’s growing participation in the global blockchain economy.