Ripple Exec Teases Major Week Amid Regulatory Wins and Market Expansion

Ripple's Senior Executive Officer for the Middle East & Africa, Reece Merrick, has hinted at a "big week ahead" for the company, following a series of significant regulatory and commercial expansions. The blockchain firm is building momentum through key approvals in Singapore and South Africa, a major acquisition, and the growing adoption of its products.

Earlier in December, Ripple secured approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to expand the scope of its Major Payment Institution (MPI) license. This allows Ripple Markets APAC Pte. Ltd. to broaden its payment services across the Asia-Pacific region. In a separate strategic move, Ripple completed a $1 billion acquisition of GTreasury, marking its entry into the corporate finance sector.

Simultaneously, Ripple is advancing in Africa. Reece Merrick highlighted regulatory progress in South Africa, where the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has received 512 applications for Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) licenses and approved 300 as of December 2025. Merrick emphasized that South Africa is a strategic priority, with clear regulation reducing uncertainty and fostering partnerships, such as Ripple's existing collaboration with Absa Bank for institutional crypto custody services.

On the product front, Ripple's stablecoin, RLUSD, has gained traction. It has been listed on the Gemini exchange and approved for use as lending collateral within Abu Dhabi's ADGlobalMarket. Looking forward, Ripple is poised for further market disruption. The launch of Spot-Quoted XRP futures on the CME Group platform is pending regulatory review, and the 21Shares XRP ETF has launched in the U.S., becoming the fifth spot XRP ETF.