What To Know:
- Ripple expanded RLUSD adoption in the UAE through a partnership with digital bank Zand, combining RLUSD with Zand’s AED-backed stablecoin to support regulated on-chain payments.
- The move strengthens Ripple’s institutional footprint in the Middle East, aligning with the region’s push to migrate settlement, liquidity, and payments onto blockchain infrastructure.
- XRP traded near $1.41 amid mixed signals, with steady ETF inflows showing institutional interest even as spot and derivatives markets remained cautious.
Ripple expands the network of US dollar stablecoin, RLUSD, in the Middle East through a new partnership with UAE-based digital bank Zand.
Under the agreement, Ripple and Zand will work together to deploy blockchain-based financial solutions using Zand’s AED-backed stablecoin, AEDZ, along with Ripple’s RLUSD. The joint move is aimed at supporting the migration of traditional financial services onto blockchain rails, with a focus on payments, liquidity management, and tokenized settlement in a regulated environment.
Ripple’s RLUSD Stablecoin Reaches UAE
Zand described the partnership as a significant development for expanding real-world applications of crypto. By integrating AEDZ and RLUSD, the two firms are laying the groundwork for multi-currency on-chain transactions that can operate within existing compliance frameworks.
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
On the other hand, regulators in the country have taken a relatively structured approach to blockchain adoption, and are encouraging experimentation by licensed institutions while maintaining oversight. This environment has attracted global blockchain firms seeking to test enterprise-grade use cases tied to real economic activity.
For Ripple, the agreement further enhances its solid presence in the institutional space in the region. Although the announcement focuses on stablecoins, long considered a part of a larger ecosystem of the company’s ongoing growth, the growing network of banking and financial partners around the network — known for its support for this wider ecosystem — is also viewed as a contributing factor.
Ripple infrastructure provides an opening to institutions that subsequently pursue further offerings on blockchain. Market participants often see XRP as a barometer of sentiment in regard to Ripple’s business momentum. In areas where Ripple’s partnerships become deeper, however, expectations regarding the long-term utility of XRP often re-emerge, even when the token is not immediately embedded in new product rollouts. At the time of press, XRP trades at $1.41, climbing 1.3% over the preceding 24 hours.
In the short term, XRP price movement is still highly correlated to overall crypto market conditions as well as risk appetite. Price action in recent days indicates the token is under pressure, with immediate support around $1.40. An effort at a recovery from the slump of last week to $1.12 stalled around $1.54, with XRP between key support and resistance levels. Even with little price action, institutional interest has remained evident.
On Monday, US-listed XRP spot exchange-traded fund inflows totalled $6.3 million, a rise of $1.23 billion in total and net assets under management to the tune of $1.04 billion. The data was the fourth consecutive day of net inflows, demonstrating long-term institutional involvement. Total inflows by XRP-related investment products totaled $39 million over the past week through Friday.
The median weekly inflows totaled $63.1 million, with total assets under management of $2.6 billion. And institutional investors remain a focus, despite weak price momentum. Yet there has been scant directional conviction in the derivatives market. XRP futures open interest stabilized at $2.50 billion on Tuesday, a touch up from the previous day. That stability suggests traders are holding positions instead of aggressively adding new leverage.
Liquidation data supports this cautious stance. On Tuesday, liquidations totaled approx. $1.38 million in long positions and $263,000 in shorts, a sharp decline from last Thursday when heightened volatility wiped out $59 million in longs and $11 million in shorts. Reduced liquidation pressure has provided a pause for market participants assessing near-term direction.
Also Read: Ripple Teases Big Updates at Key Community Event, XRP surges
