Ripple Targets AFSL to Boost Payments Growth Across APAC

Ripple Moves to Secure Australian Financial Services License, Expanding APAC Payments Network

Ripple is taking a significant step to strengthen its foothold in the Asia-Pacific market by pursuing an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL). 

Securing this license would allow Ripple to expand its regulated payments infrastructure in Australia while enhancing its ability to deliver faster, compliant cross-border payment solutions for financial institutions, fintechs, and enterprises across the broader APAC region.

Notably, the license will allow Ripple to expand its payments services in Australia, enabling financial institutions, fintechs, and enterprises to move money globally with greater speed, efficiency, and regulatory certainty. 

As demand for faster cross-border payments rises, Ripple is positioning itself as a critical link between traditional financial systems and blockchain-powered infrastructure.

The move follows Ripple’s recent regulatory milestones in the United Kingdom, where it secured an Electronic Money Institution license and obtained crypto-asset registration from the Financial Conduct Authority, further strengthening its global compliance framework and payments network.

Fiona Murray, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Ripple, welcomed the move, emphasizing Australia’s strategic importance to the company’s regional growth. She noted:

Ripple Eyes AFSL to Unlock End-to-End APAC Payments

Ripple plans to secure the Australian Financial Services License through the proposed acquisition of BC Payments Australia Pty Ltd. 

While the transaction is still subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, its completion would enable Ripple to operate a fully licensed payments platform in Australia, strengthening its ability to deliver compliant, faster, and more efficient cross-border payment solutions in the market.

With the AFSL, Ripple’s payments network can handle the full transaction lifecycle, from customer onboarding and compliance to funding, FX processing, liquidity management, and final payout. 

By bridging traditional banking rails with digital asset infrastructure, Ripple enables institutions to move funds across borders faster, more transparently, and with lower risk.

The license also allows Ripple to directly manage settlements, connect with local payout partners, and optimize transaction routing, giving businesses faster settlements, improved visibility, and seamless access to the platform’s full capabilities through a single integration, no need for multiple intermediaries or complex blockchain management.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently noted that XRP investors could be in a “very happy place” within five years, driven by growing institutional adoption and blockchain integration.

Therefore, Ripple’s expansion aligns with booming growth in the Asia-Pacific, where its payments volume nearly doubled year-over-year in 2025, signaling strong adoption of modern payment infrastructure. 

The company partners with leading financial institutions and fintechs, including Hai Ha Money Transfer, Novatti Group, Stables, Caleb & Brown, Flash Payments, and Independent Reserve, all advancing blockchain-enabled payments in Australia.

Why is this important? Well, securing the AFSL will strengthen Ripple’s ability to integrate traditional finance with next-generation digital payment systems. The move reinforces the company’s commitment to regulatory compliance while accelerating the global adoption of blockchain-based financial services.

Conclusion

Securing the Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) marks a key milestone for Ripple’s APAC expansion. Through the planned acquisition of BC Payments Australia Pty Ltd, Ripple is set to offer a fully regulated, end-to-end cross-border payments platform that seamlessly integrates traditional finance with digital assets. 

As demand for faster, more transparent global transactions grows, this move reinforces Ripple’s strategy to bridge legacy financial systems with blockchain-powered payments.