Ripple, a global leader in blockchain-powered payment solutions, is moving to secure an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) through the acquisition of BC Payments Australia Pty Ltd. This step marks Ripple’s latest bid to deepen its regulatory presence in the Asia-Pacific region and expand its offering to established financial institutions, fintechs, and major enterprises operating in Australia. Founded in 2012, Ripple is recognized for its cross-border payments infrastructure and has built a large portfolio of institutional clients worldwide.
AFSL Acquisition And Local Expansion
By acquiring BC Payments Australia Pty Ltd, Ripple will obtain the AFSL, allowing the company to directly manage all stages of payment transactions under the framework set by Australian regulators. This includes onboarding, compliance, foreign exchange, liquidity management, and final settlement, unifying both traditional and digital asset rails into a licensed solution. The company seeks to optimize transaction routing and enhance integration with local payout partners, with all regulatory due diligence and formalities pending completion before finalization of the deal.
Rising Transaction Volumes And Customer Base
The Asia-Pacific region has recently seen significant uptake in Ripple’s payment systems. In 2025, Ripple’s APAC payments volume nearly doubled year-on-year, reflecting heightened demand from the area. In Australia, Ripple already works with partners such as Hai Ha Money Transfer, Novatti Group, Independent Reserve, Flash Payments, Caleb & Brown, and Stables. These partnerships indicate a strong appetite among local firms for regulated blockchain-based solutions to improve the speed and transparency of cross-border transfers.
Fiona Murray, Ripple’s Managing Director for Asia Pacific, described the regulatory strategy as fundamental, explaining that it enables Ripple to provide secure, compliant offerings at scale. She further characterized the AFSL as a move that strengthens the company’s capacity to grow its payment services across the region. In her view, collaboration with regulators is essential to support ongoing development in digital asset infrastructure.
“Licensing is fundamental to Ripple’s strategy, ensuring we can deliver secure, compliant solutions to customers worldwide. The AFSL strengthens our ability to scale Ripple Payments across the region,” Fiona Murray noted. She added, “We remain focused on working closely with regulators to support the next phase of growth for digital asset infrastructure.”
Ripple’s commitment to compliance and regulatory engagement is further exemplified by its participation in policy projects such as Project Acacia, an initiative led by the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre. This project seeks to advance regulatory frameworks for digital assets in the region, with Ripple contributing directly alongside authorities and industry groups.
Across the globe, Ripple holds more than 75 regulatory licenses, positioning the company among a select group of digital finance firms with such an expansive official footprint. This broad licensing approach, including the targeted AFSL, is seen as central to Ripple’s strategy for supporting institutions migrating from older infrastructure to blockchain-based networks.
Murray has pointed to blockchain’s role in reshaping financial services, underlining that Ripple’s technology allows customers to move value internationally with improved speed, transparency, and reliability. Regulatory compliance remains a crucial factor in this transition as institutions phase in modern, digital-first solutions for payments.
The planned acquisition and licensing reinforce Ripple’s ongoing efforts to match growing institutional demand for regulated digital solutions in the Asia-Pacific and worldwide. As regulatory standards tighten and adoption accelerates, the company’s multi-license strategy may provide added resilience and operational flexibility in this rapidly evolving sector.
