Ripple Expands RLUSD Stablecoin in Africa with Fintech Partners
Ripple has expanded its USD-backed stablecoin RLUSD across key African markets via partnerships with Chipper Cash, Yellow Card and VALR. RLUSD is fully reserved, audited and issued by Prime Trust, and now trades in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. The token also lists on Gemini, Kraken and Bitso, enabling cost-effective, instant cross-border payments and US-dollar liquidity on-chain. On-chain transaction volumes rose from $120m in July to $194m in August, and the stablecoin’s $710m market cap highlights growing adoption. In Kenya, Mercy Corps Ventures pilots RLUSD-based insurance products against drought and rainfall risks. Ripple’s SVP Jack McDonald reports rising demand for the stablecoin in payments, tokenization and collateral. Crypto traders should watch RLUSD trading pairs on partner exchanges for arbitrage and hedging opportunities as Africa’s DeFi ecosystem strengthens.
Neutral
Although the expanded RLUSD stablecoin rollout across Africa with major fintech partnerships drives greater on-chain liquidity, transaction volumes and use cases—factors that support ecosystem growth—stablecoins are designed to maintain a $1 peg. This launch enhances arbitrage and hedging opportunities, boosting trading activity in the short term, and strengthens long-term DeFi adoption in emerging markets. However, it is unlikely to exert significant upward or downward pressure on RLUSD’s price, resulting in a neutral market impact.