Ripple has expanded its relationship with UAE digital lender Zand Bank, connecting Zand’s dirham-backed token, AEDZ, with Ripple’s US dollar stablecoin, RLUSD, on the XRP Ledger. According to a press statement published on Tuesday, Ripple and Zand Bank said the new initiative will support the adoption of digital asset infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates. The arrangement builds on an earlier payment collaboration between the companies signed in May last year. The two financial firms will purportedly explore enabling RLUSD within Zand’s regulated digital asset custody framework. They will also assess direct liquidity channels between AEDZ and RLUSD, including issuing AEDZ on the XRP Ledger. Ripple and AEDZ to use XRPL in the UAE-regulated environment According to Zand Bank’s press release , the partners are seeking to integrate regulated digital money into a banking structure that operates under UAE oversight. Zand is an AI- and blockchain-powered bank based in the Emirates. “Leveraging stablecoins, blockchain technology, and tokenization can unlock powerful new use cases as traditional finance moves on-chain,” the Emirati-based bank’s official X account wrote. AEDZ is the UAE’s first regulated, multi-chain stablecoin pegged to the dirham on public blockchains, and is backed one-to-one with reserves denominated in the UAE currency. Zand reiterated that the token uses independently audited smart contracts and regular reserve attestations. Zand and @Ripple , the leading provider of blockchain-based enterprise solutions across traditional and digital finance, are partnering to help advance and support the digital economy, with innovative solutions powered by the Zand AED (AEDZ) stablecoin and Ripple’s USD (RLUSD)… pic.twitter.com/8JXqjJgmTw — Zand (@Official_Zand) February 10, 2026 The companies said the objective is to allow regulated institutions to use both currencies inside a compliant digital framework, on Ripple’s blockchain network. The focus includes custody, liquidity, and issuance mechanics under supervisory standards. The UAE has included stablecoins as part of its Digital Economy Strategy, a program that aims to double the digital economy’s share of non-oil GDP by 2032. Market projections cited by the firms suggest the global stablecoin sector could grow to $4 trillion in the coming years. According to CoinGecko data, RLUSD has a current market capitalization of $1.5 billion. “Our partnership with Ripple represents a significant step forward in the growth of the digital asset ecosystem, and has the potential to revolutionize how both governments and businesses engage with trusted blockchain solutions in the UAE.” Zand’s chief executive, Michael Chan. Ripple’s Middle East managing director, Reece Merrick, believes the two entities will provide the UAE with the most secure, transparent, and efficient blockchain-backed financial system. “Our expanded partnership with Zand underscores our commitment to the UAE’s pioneering digital economy. We look forward to driving the adoption of stablecoins and tokenized assets in the region, creating a robust foundation for the next generation of financial services.” Reece Merrick. Ripple builds up custodial rights with Securosys collab The Zand announcement came alongside an update from Ripple on Monday, in which the company revealed a set of custody-focused collaborations. As reported by Cryptopolitan, Ripple has joined forces with Swiss-based cybersecurity platform Securosys and staking service provider Figment. The RLUSD-issuer said the combined effort is meant to simplify procurement and shorten deployment timelines for institutions handling digital assets, with the help of hardware security modules, or HSMs. “Institutions need cohesive systems in order to make the most of digital asset capabilities … We’re removing the friction of managing complex tech stacks and enabling our customers to go live faster and scale with confidence.” Aaron Slettehaugh, Ripple SVP of Product. The blockchain company now offers CyberVault HSM and CloudHSM capabilities from Securosys, which can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud. This will allow institutions to secure cryptographic keys without extended procurement processes or complex integrations. Speaking on the partnership with Ripple, Securosys chief executive officer Robert Rogenmoser said: “Institutions require absolute confidence in how cryptographic keys are secured and managed. By integrating our CyberVault HSM with Ripple Custody, institutions gain an out-of-the-box, enterprise-grade solution that can be deployed quickly, without added complexity, while retaining full control over their cryptographic keys.” Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.
