Ripple is extending the reach of its enterprise-grade stablecoin, Ripple USD, to institutional clients in Africa, marking its latest push into global markets.
Summary
- Ripple partners with Chipper Cash, VALR, and Yellow Card to launch RLUSD in Africa.
- RLUSD has surpassed $700M in market cap since its 2024 debut.
- The stablecoin will be used for cross-border payments, treasury management, and trading.
The company announced the move in a Sept. 4 press release, naming Chipper Cash, VALR, and Yellow Card as its launch partners on the continent.
Since its debut in late 2024, Ripple USD (RLUSD) has grown to more than $700 million in market capitalization, supported by Ripple’s compliance-first approach and its regulatory foundation as a New York limited-purpose trust company.
RLUSD adoption gains momentum
RLUSD is already being used in cross-border payments, tokenization, and collateral for trading, and was recently added to Ripple Payments, the company’s global settlement platform. Jack McDonald, Ripple’s senior vice president of stablecoins, said institutional clients have been driving adoption.
“We’re seeing demand for RLUSD from our customers and other key institutional players globally and are excited to now begin distribution in Africa through our local partners.”
— Jack McDonald, SVP of Stablecoins at Ripple
The three African firms joining Ripple’s rollout, framed RLUSD as a trusted option for cross-border payments, treasury management, and trading. Chipper Cash CEO Ham Serunjogi emphasized the potential for faster, cheaper remittances, while VALR’s Farzam Ehsani called the listing part of a strategy to support “compliant and high-quality digital assets.”
Yellow Card’s Chris Maurice added that RLUSD will help meet customer demand for reliable dollar-backed infrastructure in emerging markets.
Financial inclusion and RLUSD real-world pilots
RLUSD has also found utility in humanitarian programs. In Kenya, Mercy Corps Ventures is testing the stablecoin for rainfall and drought insurance. The funds are kept in escrow and released automatically by smart contracts that are connected to satellite weather data. During climate shocks, these pilots are intended to give farmers quicker, more transparent assistance.
The African expansion follows Ripple’s Aug. 22 deal with Japan’s SBI VC Trade to distribute RLUSD to institutions in Asia’s largest stablecoin market. With partnerships across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and now Africa, Ripple is positioning RLUSD as a global option for regulated dollar exposure, bridging financial institutions, decentralized finance protocols, and real-world applications.
