Ripple is rapidly acquiring an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) through the acquisition of licensed entity BC Payments Australia Pty Ltd. The license, issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), is a statutory prerequisite for companies providing financial services in Australia. The acquisition process is still underway and has not yet been formally completed, but once finalized, it will significantly enhance Ripple's compliance capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region.
With the AFSL, the Ripple Payments platform will be able to fully control the entire cross-border payment chain, covering customer onboarding, anti-money laundering checks, fund transfers, foreign exchange, liquidity management, and final payment. The platform integrates traditional banking systems with digital asset networks, allowing customers to bypass multiple intermediaries with a single interface connection, significantly improving efficiency and transparency.
Fiona Murray, Ripple's APAC Managing Director, stated, "Compliance qualifications are at the core of Ripple's global strategy. Australia is a key market, and the AFSL will help us more steadily expand Ripple Payments' business footprint in Asia Pacific." Currently, several Australian companies, including Hai Ha Money Transfer, Novatti Group, Stables, Caleb & Brown, Flash Payments, and Independent Reserve, are already using the platform to process cross-border transfers. The implementation of the AFSL will further strengthen these partnerships.
According to Ripple, its Asia-Pacific payment transaction volume nearly doubled year-on-year in 2025. Although specific data was not disclosed, the rapid growth has placed higher demands on the local regulatory compliance system. To date, Ripple has obtained more than 75 regulatory licenses worldwide, making it one of the most licensed companies in the digital asset space, far exceeding the industry average.
In addition, Ripple is deeply involved in "Project Acacia," a joint initiative by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre (DFCRC) to build Australia's domestic digital asset infrastructure. This participation indicates that Ripple is transitioning from a technology provider to a compliance partner for regulatory agencies.
At the same time, Ripple Prime—a brokerage and futures access service for institutional clients—is also expanding, providing global professional investors with more comprehensive digital asset financial services. With the improvement of the regulatory framework, Ripple is evolving from a single payment tool into a comprehensive financial infrastructure provider covering payments, custody, and trading.