How a New Alliance Could Reshape UAE’s Financial Landscape

The UAE-based digital bank Zand has unveiled a strategic alliance with Ripple, a renowned blockchain firm, aiming to leverage blockchain technology for enhancing financial services. This partnership will see Zand introducing its stablecoins, AEDZ backed by the UAE dirham and RLUSD supported by the US dollar, into the market as part of efforts to strengthen the UAE’s digital economy.

What Innovations Will Stablecoins Bring?

Zand’s collaboration plan includes integrating Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin into its custodial services, aiming to eventually issue AEDZ via the public XRP Ledger. The uniqueness of AEDZ lies in its multi-chain compatibility and regulatory-compliant reserves, making it the UAE’s premier dirham-backed stablecoin. The RLUSD counterpart maintains security through reserves in US dollars, Treasury bonds, and high-grade assets, with both assets receiving routine third-party audits to bolster confidence and transparency.

What Do Executives Believe?

Michael Chan, CEO of Zand, emphasized the collaboration’s significant impact on the UAE’s financial system. He stated,

“The convergence of traditional finance with blockchain can unveil robust new use-cases and transform the way both public and private sectors engage with reliable blockchain solutions.”

Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Director for the Middle East and Africa, mentioned the partnership supports the UAE’s ambition for a digitally-driven economy, with Ripple pursuing blockchain innovations aimed at improving financial system reliability.

Driving Digital Change in the UAE

This venture aligns with the UAE’s broader Digital Economy Strategy, which aims to amplify the digital sector’s contribution to the national GDP by 2032. Through robust regulatory frameworks and a focus on diversification away from oil, the UAE hopes to attract more innovation and investment.

Forecasts suggest that an increasing institutional appetite for digital currencies, coupled with decentralized finance growth, could drive the global stablecoin market to a staggering $4 trillion valuation. The UAE’s partnership with Ripple underlines its commitment to becoming a front-runner in this burgeoning market.

In another positive step, Ripple has secured initial approval for an Electronic Money Institute license from Luxembourg’s financial authorities, marking its continued expansion into Europe.