Ripple Expands XRP Services Across 8 African Nations

Ripple Seizes Africa’s Regulatory Moment with RLUSD Expansion

Sub-Saharan Africa received over $205 billion in onchain value between July 2024 and June 2025, marking a 52% year-over-year jump. Ripple (XRP) is capitalizing on this growth by expanding RLUSD stablecoin access through partnerships with Chipper Cash, VALR, and Yellow Card, while securing a custody deal with Absa Bank. The timing coincides with three major economies finalizing crypto-specific frameworks.

How South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya Are Reshaping Crypto Rules

South Africa moved first, requiring crypto asset service providers to obtain licenses from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority since June 2023. The country has adopted FATF Travel Rule requirements, aligning with major Western jurisdictions.

Nigeria, ranked sixth globally in the 2025 Crypto Adoption Index, passed the Investments and Securities Act 2025, formally classifying digital assets as securities. The Central Bank reversed its previous ban on banks working with licensed crypto providers, and an AML supervision pilot for virtual asset service providers is now underway.

Kenya signed its Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill into law in October 2025, with oversight split between the Central Bank and Capital Markets Authority. Mauritius, Ghana, Botswana, Namibia, and Seychelles have also introduced crypto-specific policies, while Ethiopia, Morocco, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda are actively exploring frameworks.

Why Mobile Money and Cross-Border Payments Make Africa Crypto’s Frontier

Africa handles 70% of the world’s $1 trillion mobile money market. In Sub-Saharan Africa, mobile money account ownership hit 40% of adults in 2024, up from 27% in 2021. A third of these users lack access to other financial services.

Traditional cross-border payments remain slow and expensive, with multi-day settlement times and steep fees plaguing remittance corridors between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Stablecoins offer a workaround, with businesses increasingly using them for trade settlement, treasury management, and cross-border transfers. Ripple’s RLUSD has found traction in this environment, with a pilot through Mercy Corps Ventures in Kenya aiming to speed up drought relief aid delivery.

Institutional Capital Follows Regulatory Clarity

Ripple’s 2026 survey found 57% of finance leaders prefer partners offering custody, orchestration, and compliance as a single package, the exact pitch the company is making with its Absa Bank deal. Cross-border regulatory collaboration is emerging, with South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya’s frameworks potentially serving as templates for smaller markets.

For traders watching African markets, Nigeria and Ethiopia’s high adoption rankings suggest continued retail demand regardless of regulatory outcomes. The real question is whether institutional capital follows as frameworks solidify through 2026.