Ripple stablecoin gains Abu Dhabi approval as UAE tightens crypto rules

• RLUSD has been recognised as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token in the Abu Dhabi Global Market.
• Ripple secured full regulatory approval to operate in the Dubai International Financial Centre in March.
• The DFSA allowed RLUSD to be used inside the DIFC in June.

Ripple’s dollar-pegged stablecoin has gained new regulatory acceptance in the Middle East, adding another link between traditional finance and digital assets as the UAE moves to tighten oversight of decentralised finance and Web3.

The approval allows institutions operating in Abu Dhabi’s financial free zone to use RLUSD for regulated activity, reinforcing the country’s strategy of pairing innovation with clearer rulemaking.

As the UAE reshapes how payments, lending, and custody services operate across digital systems, Ripple’s position in the region is expanding through multiple regulated hubs that already host global financial firms.

ADGM adds RLUSD to regulated activities

Ripple announced on Thursday that RLUSD is now recognised as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token within the Abu Dhabi Global Market.

The financial centre sits on Al Maryah and Al Reem Islands and functions as an international free zone with its own regulatory framework.

The approval was issued by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority, which supervises activities conducted within the zone.

The decision means firms licensed by the regulator can use RLUSD for services that fall under permitted activities, provided they meet requirements set for fiat-referenced tokens.

These include rules linked to reserve management, transparency, and disclosures.

Ripple said RLUSD currently holds a market capitalisation above one billion dollars and is being adopted for uses such as collateral and payments.

RLUSD was launched in late 2024. It is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar and backed entirely by cash and equivalents.

The stablecoin is issued under a limited-purpose trust charter from the New York Department of Financial Services, which sets the conditions for custody and reserve safeguards.

Ripple widens presence across UAE financial hubs

The recognition in Abu Dhabi adds to Ripple’s regulatory progress across the UAE’s digital-asset ecosystem.

In October 2024, the company confirmed it was pursuing a licence from the Dubai Financial Services Authority to expand its services in the country.

It secured in-principle approval later that month as part of its plan to operate inside Dubai’s major financial zone.

By March, Ripple had received full regulatory approval to provide cross-border crypto payment services within the Dubai International Financial Centre.

The DIFC runs under its own rulebook and is widely used by global firms looking to serve markets across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.

In June, the DFSA permitted RLUSD to be used for regulated activities within the DIFC.

This allowed companies operating inside the zone to integrate the stablecoin into services involving payments and treasury functions.

Ripple also brought in Zand Bank and the fintech app Mamo as early adopters of Ripple Payments, its blockchain-powered system designed for institutional transfers.

UAE expands its national approach to crypto supervision

The UAE is now combining approvals inside its financial zones with a nationwide framework that brings more of the digital-asset market under central oversight.

Earlier this week, authorities introduced a new central bank law that formally places decentralised finance and a wide portion of Web3 activity within a regulated structure.

Federal Decree Law No. 6 of 2025 has been in force since September 2025.

It requires platforms, infrastructure providers, and protocols involved in lending, custody, exchanges, payments, or investment services to obtain licences from the Central Bank of the UAE by September 2026.

The move sets a unified expectation for businesses operating across digital finance.

Stablecoin use grows as rules become clearer

The combination of ADGM recognition, DIFC approval, and a nationwide regulatory framework positions RLUSD to play a larger role in institutional financial services across the UAE.

With regulated firms in multiple zones now able to use the stablecoin for defined activities, Ripple’s expansion reflects the broader shift in the country’s approach to digital assets.

The new law signals that the UAE is looking to support innovation while ensuring that digital-asset operations follow the standards applied to other financial services.

RLUSD’s clearance inside Abu Dhabi arrives at a moment when regulated stablecoins are increasingly used for settlement, payments, and collateral across international markets.