Ripple powers Absa Digital Asset Custody launch for Africa's $205B crypto market. September 21, 2026 Key Takeaways: * Ripple brings its custody technology to Absa Digital Asset Custody, which Absa Corporate and Investment Banking launched. * Institutional grade security, governance, and control in digital asset management in Africa. * The launch further solidifies Ripple's foothold in the fast-growing African digital asset space, where institutional interest is increasing. User Score Ripple has enhanced its institutional digital asset presence in Africa with its partnership with Absa Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB). Working together, they have introduced Absa Digital Asset Custody, an institutional-grade technology solution, aimed at the secure management of digital assets in a compliant, regulated environment. The announcement was highlighted by Ripple Middle East and Africa Managing Director Reece Merrick, who described the launch as a major milestone for institutional digital assets on the continent. Table of contents. Absa brings bank-grade Digital Asset Custody to Africa. Absa Digital Asset Custody is a digital-first, institution-class platform. The solution's integration of Absa's banking capabilities and Ripple's custody technology ensures security, governance and operation controls to facilitate digital asset management. Abla stated that it is intended for institutional clients who wish to have a secure framework in which to store and protect digital assets. Instead of exchange of services, it is focused on secure custody, transaction controls, the approving process, the compliance process and asset oversight. At the heart of the Ripple technology is the platform's ability to give institutions flexibility and control over their digital asset operations and facilitate the security and governance standards typically found in traditional finance. Ripple deepens its presence in Africa. The launch will be part of Ripple's broader efforts to construct infrastructure for institutional adoption of crypto. The deployment puts Ripple's custody platform into one of the continent's largest banking groups, providing services to corporate and investment banking customers in several markets. The collaboration also follows the previous one announced between the two companies in 2025. The custody platform has now come into production, and the partnership is now in commercialization. Institutional demand continues to grow. Banks, asset managers, and corporate investors have sought out digital asset services for institutions, and demand has been rising. Yet, Custody is one of the most vital prerequisites prior to huge organizations can take part on a scale. Typically, institutions must be concerned with good key management, authorization, audit trails, governance and regulation. Absa Digital Asset Custody is focused on meeting these needs with a banking-led approach facilitated by the infrastructure support from Ripple. The launch coincides with the ongoing growth of crypto transactions on the continent. This region is one of the fastest-growing areas in crypto terms, with on-chain transaction volume exceeding $205 billion in its 12-month period ending June 2025, Chainalysis reports. Custody emerges as a key institutional crypto market. Payment and tokenization frequently command crypto attention, but custody has emerged as a vital component of institutionalization. Financial institutions entering the sector need secure systems for safeguarding assets before expanding into additional blockchain-based services. By launching a dedicated custody platform, Absa is targeting this foundational layer of the digital asset ecosystem. For Ripple, the partnership demonstrates how its custody technology is being adopted by established financial institutions seeking regulated pathways into digital assets. Isabella Flores Blockchain Adoption Reporter Isabella specializes in tracking how blockchain technology is transforming industries worldwide. She previously worked as a business analyst for a fintech startup before pivoting to journalism. Her pieces explore the real-world applications of blockchain, from supply chain to healthcare. Isabella is passionate about highlighting underrepresented use cases in the crypto space.

Ripple executive reveals new partnership to launch Digital Asset Custody in Africa. Renowned for its expanding partnerships across the global space, San Francisco blockchain company Ripple has landed a major milestone in Africa following its latest partnership. According to a recent post shared earlier today, Ripple's top executive, Reece Merrick, revealed the firm's expansion into Africa's institutional digital asset market. Ripple expands custodial service to Africa The move has come after Ripple signed a new partnership deal with Absa Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) to launch Absa Digital Asset Custody. Merrick disclosed the new milestone earlier on Monday, revealing that the partnership aims to utilize Ripple's custody technology to provide a digital asset custody platform for Africans. Through Ripple's infrastructure, the new product will be able to provide institutions with a secure and regulated environment for safeguarding digital assets and managing private keys. Merrick further explained that the move is aimed at bringing institutional-grade security, governance, and control to digital asset management. Ripple's latest African partner Further details show that Ripple's latest partner, Absa Digital Asset Custody, is a digital-first offering built to meet the same standards applied to traditional financial assets. With its design, the company is focused on addressing risks associated with digital asset custody, including security exposure, governance challenges, and regulatory complexity. Following the partnership, it will integrate Ripple Custody technology into its resources to exclusively allow institutions to maintain greater control over their digital assets. In addition to this, they will also gain exclusive control over their transactions and approval processes while benefiting from Absa's banking infrastructure and regulatory compliance. Read original article on U.Today

Ripple's AI push: A new era for XRPL developers with enhanced Stripe and Tempo integrations. Discover more Ethereum Developer Resources Financial Markets News Ripple has announced the expansion of its AI-centric developer toolkit for the XRP Ledger, aiming to enhance the ecosystem's capabilities. Through new collaborations with global online payments provider Stripe and layer 1 blockchain solution Tempo, Ripple plans to enable developers to create AI brokers that facilitate transactions using cryptocurrencies and stablecoins for digital services like data and computing power. What do the new payment standards offer? Version 1.1 of the XRPL AI Starter Kit introduces new support for open standards, including the machine payments protocol (MPP) and the Open Wallet Standard. This enables software to access multiple wallets across different blockchains through a unified interface. Ripple aims to simplify the setup of payment infrastructures for developers and to make blockchain-based tools more accessible for fintech companies. Ripple developer Ajit Kulkarni emphasized in a blog post that XRP Ledger offers robust options for teams developing payment services. The adoption of common standards helps connect developers to a broader ecosystem rather than isolated systems. Discover more FINANCE NEWS Ethereum Price Forecast Cryptocurrency Exchange Reviews Ajit Kulkarni mentioned that XRP Ledger delivers strong options for teams involved in payment services, enhancing compatibility between different wallets and applications through shared standards. How RLUSD and AI payments impact the system? Jazzi Cooper, Head of RippleX products, highlighted the company's goal to make XRP and RLUSD key tools for developers globally. RLUSD is Ripple's stablecoin pegged at a 1:1 ratio to the US dollar. As AI software that purchases data or rents computing power requires a payment mechanism, RLUSD is planned to be utilized within this infrastructure. Jazzi Cooper underlined Ripple's aspiration to position XRP and RLUSD as primary choices across all developer platforms. Stripe, recognized for its infrastructure supporting online payment acceptance, joins this expansion. Tempo contributes with its layer 1 blockchain infrastructure. The integration targets enhancing payment flows for both buyers and sellers, making setups faster and more efficient. Discover more Crypto Market Analysis Business News Coverage Currencies & Foreign Exchange Does XRP's price movement tell a different story? XRP was priced at $1.45 on Monday, marking a 3% intraday rise and approaching $1.50 - a level lost in August. Analysts say this rise isn't directly linked to the expansion with Stripe and Tempo. It's believed that broader market appetites influence this movement. The recent fall of crude oil prices below $100 also supports the general market sentiment. Thus, XRP's short-term increase appears more tied to overall market trends than Ripple's product and partnership announcements. * Ripple has expanded its AI-focused developer toolkit for the XRP Ledger. * New integrations with Stripe and Tempo aim to facilitate faster payment process setups. * RLUSD is planned for AI software transactions needing a stable payment option. * XRP's price increase seems linked more to market trends than company announcements. Ripple's innovations could significantly shift how developers interact with blockchain solutions, offering a promising pathway forward for both the company and the broader industry. As XRP continues to navigate market dynamics, Ripple's strategic advancements and partnerships are set to provide new opportunities and explore uncharted possibilities in the digital payments realm.