Ripple looks to expand crypto and payment services in Brazil

Ripple, the payments-focused blockchain company closely associated with the XRP Ledger (XRP) network, is expanding its digital asset services in Brazil while preparing to apply for a license with the country?s central bank, a move that would place it under the nation?s new crypto framework.

The company said Tuesday it is rolling out a broader set of services that bundle cross-border payments, digital asset custody, brokerage and treasury tools. It said the combined offering targets banks and fintechs that want to move money across borders, hold crypto and manage liquidity in one system.

It said it also plans to apply for a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license with the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB), in line with the country's crypto regulation.

"Latin America has always been a priority market for Ripple ? not just because of the scale of the opportunity, but because Brazil has built one of the most advanced and forward-thinking financial ecosystems in the world," Monica Long, president at Ripple, said in a statement."

The firm said that several Brazilian firms already use Ripple?s payments network and crypto services. Banco Genial, for example, handles same-day U.S. dollar transfers, while Braza Bank uses the system for foreign exchange flows and issued a real-backed stablecoin on the XRP Ledger. Fintech Nomad and others use the network to shift funds between Brazil and the U.S. and settling in stablecoins.

Ripple is also pushing its custody product in the country, aimed at institutions that need secure storage tied to trading and tokenization. The firm said partners such as CRX and Justoken are using the setup to issue tokenized assets, including real-world assets like commodities.

The Brazil push comes as Ripple has been quickly expanding through acquisitions, building services around trading and digital asset infrastructure. That included the $1.25 billion purchase of prime brokerage Hidden Road and buying corporate treasury business GTreasury for $1 billion. The firm also issues a U.S. dollar stablecoin, the $1.5 billion Ripple USD (RLUSD), via its custody arm.

The firm said it has processed over 100 billion in transactions across its payments ecosystem. Recently, Ripple started a share buyback program that valued the the firm at $50 billion.