Ripple has strengthened its foothold in Asia after Singapore’s Monetary Authority (MAS) approved an expansion of the Major Payment Institution (MPI) license held by its local subsidiary, Ripple Markets APAC Pte. Ltd.
The widened approval allows the company to offer a broader range of regulated payment services, positioning Singapore as a central hub for its Asia-Pacific operations.
The expanded MPI licence explicitly authorises Ripple to provide services involving digital payment tokens (DPTs), cross-border money transfers, domestic payments, and integration of DPTs into global payout networks.
Ripple Payments, the company’s end-to-end platform, can now deliver collection, custody, token swapping, and payout services through a single API integration.
Customers can settle using RLUSD stablecoin or XRP, enabling transfers in minutes rather than days.
Since establishing its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore in 2017, Ripple has relied on the city-state as its primary engineering and customer support centre for the region.
Fiona Murray, Ripple’s Vice President and Managing Director for Asia Pacific, noted that on-chain activity in APAC has risen roughly 70 percent year-over-year, highlighting Singapore’s growing role in digital asset adoption.
Monica Long, President of Ripple, praised Singapore’s regulatory framework, saying,
“MAS has set a leading standard for regulatory clarity in digital assets, and we deeply value Singapore’s forward-thinking approach. Ripple has always taken a regulation-first approach and Singapore is proof that innovation thrives when rules are clear. This expanded license strengthens our ability to continue investing in Singapore and to build the infrastructure financial institutions need to move money efficiently, quickly, and safely.”
The MPI expansion also allows Ripple to scale blockchain-based payment infrastructure for banks, fintechs, and digital asset platforms without requiring them to manage their own systems.
By offering on and off ramps, as well as full operational management of digital payment tokens, Ripple can simplify token-based transfers while ensuring compliance with Singapore’s structured oversight.
Source: Ripple
Ripple’s expanded license arrives amid broader shifts in global payments.
Traditional correspondent banking often relies on multiple intermediaries and slow settlement timelines.
Ripple Payments aims to streamline international transfers, reducing delays and increasing transparency.
Singapore’s network of financial institutions and its regulatory clarity make it an ideal base for supporting these operations in Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea.
The approval enhances the potential adoption of RLUSD, Ripple’s dollar-pegged stablecoin, and XRP as a bridge asset in cross-border transfers.
While regulatory approval does not guarantee adoption, it removes key barriers, allowing financial institutions to integrate token-based payment solutions with greater confidence under MAS supervision.
The expanded licence reflects Ripple’s broader strategy to grow its regulated digital payment offerings across Asia.
With Singapore at the centre of this growth, the company can support institutions exploring faster, more efficient payment systems.
As Murray noted,
“With this expanded scope of payment activities, we can better support the institutions driving that growth.”
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