Zand and Ripple Deepen Alliance to Advance UAE Digital Economy With Dual Stablecoin Strategy
Zand, an AI and blockchain-powered digital bank based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has entered into a strategic partnership with Ripple to accelerate stablecoin adoption and blockchain-based financial infrastructure across the region.
The collaboration will leverage Zand’s regulated AED-backed stablecoin (AEDZ) and Ripple’s enterprise-grade USD stablecoin (RLUSD) to explore new liquidity pathways, custody integrations, and tokenization use cases as traditional finance continues to migrate on-chain.
The move builds on an earlier payments partnership between the two firms and signals a broader push to position the UAE as a leading jurisdiction for compliant digital asset innovation.
Bridging AEDZ and RLUSD Across Regulated Infrastructure
Under the expanded partnership, Zand and Ripple will explore enabling support for RLUSD within Zand’s regulated digital asset custody framework. The companies will also assess the potential for direct liquidity answers between AEDZ and RLUSD, strengthening cross-border and cross-currency settlement capabilities.
In addition, the firms plan to evaluate issuing AEDZ on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), Ripple’s public blockchain network. Any such initiative would be implemented with appropriate compliance, monitoring, and risk controls, and remains subject to regulatory approvals and internal governance processes.
AEDZ is described as the UAE’s first regulated, multi-chain AED-backed stablecoin operating on public blockchains. It is fully backed one-to-one by AED reserves held in segregated and regulated accounts, with independently and reserve attestations.
Takeaway
Enterprise-Grade Stablecoins for Institutional Adoption
Ripple’s RLUSD is positioned as a trusted, enterprise-grade stablecoin backed by high-quality reserves, including US dollar deposits, short-term US government bonds, and other cash equivalents. The stablecoin provides monthly third-party attestations to enhance transparency and confidence among institutional users.
Zand CEO Michael Chan emphasized the broader ambition behind the collaboration. “We believe that leveraging stablecoins, blockchain technology, and tokenization, can unlock powerful new use cases as traditional finance moves on-chain. Our partnership with Ripple represents a significant step forward in the growth of the , and has the potential to revolutionize how both governments and businesses engage with trusted blockchain answers in the UAE.”
Reece Merrick, Managing Director, Middle East and Africa at Ripple, added: “Our expanded partnership with Zand underscores our commitment to the UAE’s pioneering digital economy. Our collaboration is a key step in our mission to provide the UAE with the most secure, transparent, and efficient blockchain-powered financial tools available today. 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.”
Takeaway
Positioning the UAE as a Stablecoin and Tokenization Hub
The partnership aligns with the UAE’s broader , which aims to double the digital economy’s contribution to non-oil GDP by 2032. Stablecoins are viewn as a foundational technology supporting cross-border payments, tokenization, decentralized finance, and institutional settlement efficiency.
Market projections suggest the global stablecoin market could grow to as much as $4 trillion in the coming years, driven by increasing adoption for transactions, deeper DeFi integration, and rising blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
By linking AEDZ and RLUSD within a regulated framework, Zand and Ripple are positioning the UAE at the intersection of traditional finance and digital asset markets, reinforcing the country’s ambition to lead in compliant blockchain innovation while expanding the practical use of tokenized money.
