Ripple is strengthening its presence in the Middle East through a partnership with Bahrain Fintech Bay. The companies aim to develop Bahrain’s digital assets, blockchain, and financial innovation sectors.
Ripple announced a strategic partnership with Bahrain Fintech Bay, the Kingdom’s largest FinTech incubator. The agreement is designed to advance the local ecosystem of innovative financial solutions and involves joint efforts to promote blockchain, digital assets, stablecoins, and tokenization.
The companies plan to launch pilot projects, educational initiatives, and acceleration programs, as well as participate in industry events to foster new partnerships and drive innovation in Bahrain’s financial sector.
Reece Merrick, Managing Director of Middle East and Africa at Ripple, noted that Bahrain was one of the first jurisdictions in the world to implement crypto-asset regulations. According to him, the company intends to work with Bahrain Fintech Bay to develop infrastructure for storing and managing digital assets and to offer Bahraini banks Ripple’s custody solution and the Ripple USD stablecoin (RLUSD).
Suzy Al Zeerah, Chief Operating Officer at Bahrain FinTech Bay, emphasized that the partnership reflects Bahrain’s strategy to strengthen its position as a regional hub for financial technology. She added that joint initiatives with Ripple will help nurture local talent and introduce cutting-edge solutions that shape the future of finance.
The press release also highlights that the partnership with Bahrain Fintech Bay marks an important step in consolidating Ripple’s presence in the Middle East. It complements the company’s regional expansion strategy, which began after obtaining a license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) in March 2025. Ripple became the first blockchain company to receive such a license in Dubai.
