- Ripple and DriveWealth will introduce RLUSD settlement and cross-border payments, starting in Europe.
- The partnership also includes digital asset custody and plans for U.S. expansion.
Ripple has partnered with DriveWealth to bring RLUSD stablecoin settlement and cross-border payment services to a global brokerage network serving more than 100 partners. The integration will begin in Europe before expanding to the United States, giving international investors a faster way to fund accounts and helping financial firms reduce delays linked to traditional bank transfers.
Announced on October 14, the agreement combines RLUSD settlement on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), Ripple Payments, and digital asset custody services. The companies are also exploring equity financing opportunities through Ripple Prime.
RLUSD Settlement to Start in Europe Before U.S. Expansion
DriveWealth will use Ripple’s dollar-backed RLUSD stablecoin to settle transactions on the XRP Ledger. The integration will include tools for minting and burning RLUSD, allowing approved institutions to manage the stablecoin within their operations.
The European rollout will come first, with a U.S. expansion planned for a later stage. The move targets delays that international investors and financial firms face when moving dollars across borders.
Traditional bank wires can take longer than the settlement process for U.S. equities, which generally settle one business day after a trade. These delays can leave capital tied up while firms wait for funds to reach investment accounts.
RLUSD settlement could help reduce those delays by allowing clients to deposit stablecoins and convert them into cash in near real time. This would give eligible customers another way to fund collateral accounts without relying entirely on international bank transfers.
DriveWealth serves fintech companies, digital wallets, and financial institutions that offer access to U.S. markets. Its network of more than 100 global partners gives Ripple an established channel for introducing its stablecoin and payment services to investment platforms.
Ripple Payments to Support Cross-Border Transfers
The agreement also brings Ripple Payments into DriveWealth’s funding infrastructure. The service will support incoming cross-border transfers from DriveWealth’s international partners, connecting those payments to the brokerage platform.
The integration aims to make account funding more flexible by reducing dependence on banking hours and transfer cutoff times. This is particularly relevant for platforms that offer extended trading hours but still rely on traditional payment systems to move customer funds.
DriveWealth CEO Naureen Hassan said the company wants funding services to keep pace with its 24/5 trading offering. She explained that the goal is to let customers put their capital to work rather than leave it unused overnight or over a weekend.
The companies also plan to connect treasury and custody functions. This could allow clients to view dollar, stablecoin, and cryptocurrency balances in real time and move between them through connected services.
Ripple Expands Institutional RLUSD Infrastructure
The DriveWealth partnership adds another use case for RLUSD beyond stablecoin trading and transfers. Ripple is positioning the asset as a settlement option for institutions that need to move dollar-denominated value across financial platforms.
Ripple Mint, the company’s institutional stablecoin platform, provides tools for issuing, redeeming, transferring, and monitoring RLUSD. The service includes a web console, software interfaces, and transaction alerts that help institutions track stablecoin operations.
These capabilities could support DriveWealth’s planned integration by connecting traditional funds with blockchain-based settlement. They also give institutions tools to manage stablecoin balances and monitor transfers through different stages of a transaction.
For fintech firms and financial institutions, the ability to integrate stablecoin operations into existing systems could reduce manual processes and simplify repeated payments. However, the benefits will depend on how the services are implemented and adopted across the brokerage network.
European Custody Adds to Ripple’s RLUSD Expansion
Beyond settlement and payments, Ripple and DriveWealth plan to introduce digital asset custody services in Europe before considering additional markets.
The custody component would give DriveWealth another way to support institutional clients handling digital assets. Combined with settlement and payment services, it broadens the partnership beyond transferring funds between investment accounts.
Ripple’s senior vice president of stablecoins, Jack McDonald, said DriveWealth initially approached the company over cross-border settlement challenges. Discussions later expanded to include other areas where the two firms could work together.
The partnership follows other developments involving institutional RLUSD custody. On October 12, Standard Chartered announced RLUSD custody support through its Dubai International Financial Centre branch, allowing eligible institutional clients to hold the stablecoin.
Standard Chartered is also working with Ripple and LMAX Group on a proposed arrangement that would allow clients to use RLUSD as trading collateral while keeping the tokens in custody. The implementation remains subject to testing, legal documentation, internal approvals, and regulatory requirements.
These developments highlight growing efforts to integrate stablecoins into established financial services. For Ripple, custody and settlement partnerships could help extend RLUSD’s role in institutional markets.
Ripple Prime Explores Equity Financing With DriveWealth
The agreement also includes discussions about potential equity financing through Ripple Prime’s Delta One business. Unlike the settlement and payment integrations, this part of the arrangement remains exploratory.
Ripple Prime launched equity derivatives services for institutional customers in August, including total return swaps linked to U.S.-listed equities, indexes, and digital assets. These products allow eligible investors to gain exposure to an asset’s performance without owning it directly.
The business also offers clearing and financing services for institutional clients. Its potential involvement with DriveWealth could create further opportunities to connect brokerage infrastructure with Ripple’s financial services.
However, the companies have not announced a finalized equity financing arrangement. Any future offering will depend on the outcome of their discussions.
What the DriveWealth Deal Means for RLUSD
The Ripple-DriveWealth partnership brings together stablecoin settlement, cross-border payments, and digital asset custody within an existing global brokerage network. Its initial focus on Europe, followed by a planned U.S. expansion, provides a clear path for introducing RLUSD to additional investment-related services.
The agreement also reflects a broader effort to use stablecoins for practical financial operations rather than limiting them to crypto trading. Faster account funding and more flexible settlement could help institutions manage capital more efficiently.
Still, the full impact will depend on the rollout, adoption by DriveWealth’s partners, and the expansion of services into additional markets. For now, the partnership gives RLUSD another potential route into traditional financial infrastructure while Ripple continues to build its institutional payments and custody business.
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