Ripple Deepens UAE Bank Relationship With Zand to Explore Stablecoin Initiatives

Ripple is expanding its Middle East push by deepening ties with UAE bank Zand, integrating stablecoins, cross-currency liquidity, and on-chain issuance as regulated institutions move dollar- and dirham-linked assets onto blockchain rails.

Ripple and Zand Expand Stablecoin and On-Chain Strategy in UAE

Ripple Senior Executive Officer and Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa Reece Merrick shared on social media platform X on Feb. 10 that the company is broadening its existing relationship with UAE-based Zand to explore stablecoin, liquidity, and blockchain issuance initiatives.

Merrick detailed the direction of the expanded collaboration in a post on X, stating:

“We’re now extending this partnership to explore a range of initiatives, from enabling support for Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin within Zand’s regulated digital asset custody, to direct liquidity solutions between RLUSD and Zand’s AED-denominated stablecoin AEDZ, to the issuance of AEDZ on the XRPL.”

The executive framed the move as a continuation of an agreement reached last year, while emphasizing that the next phase centers on practical deployment rather than conceptual alignment. His remarks highlighted regulated digital asset custody as a foundation for institutional participation, alongside direct liquidity pathways between U.S. dollar- and dirham-linked stablecoins. By referencing issuance on the XRPL, Merrick pointed to blockchain infrastructure as a core component in enabling regional stablecoin use cases for payments, settlement, and tokenized financial flows across the Middle East.

Zand echoed the focus of the collaboration in its own Feb. 10 post on X, positioning the partnership as a step toward advancing the digital economy. The bank wrote:

“Zand and Ripple, the leading provider of blockchain-based enterprise solutions across traditional and digital finance, are partnering to help advance and support the digital economy, with innovative solutions powered by the Zand AED (AEDZ) stablecoin and Ripple’s USD (RLUSD) stablecoin.”

The message further explained that leveraging stablecoins, blockchain technology, and tokenization drives new use cases as traditional finance moves on-chain, presenting the partnership as a meaningful development in the digital asset ecosystem’s growth. Together, the statements reflect a broader industry trend in which regulated financial institutions and blockchain companies standardize compliant stablecoin frameworks, localized digital currencies, and interoperable liquidity designed to support cross-border commerce and on-chain financial services.

FAQ ⏰

• What is Ripple expanding with Zand in the UAE?

Ripple and Zand are broadening cooperation around stablecoins, liquidity solutions, and on-chain issuance.

• Which stablecoins are involved in the Ripple-Zand partnership?

The collaboration centers on Ripple’s RLUSD and Zand’s AED-denominated stablecoin AEDZ.

• What blockchain will support AEDZ issuance?

Zand is exploring the issuance of its AEDZ stablecoin on the XRPL.

• Why is regulated custody important in this partnership?

Regulated digital asset custody enables compliant institutional access to tokenized payments and settlement.