Ripple Strengthens Asia Pacific Footprint with Planned Australian Financial Services License Acquisition
Ripple, a leader in enterprise blockchain solutions for payments, has announced its intent to acquire BC Payments, the Australian subsidiary of European payments infrastructure firm Banking Circle. The strategic move is designed to secure an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), marking a significant step in Ripple’s broader strategy to expand its regulated operations across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.
Targeting a Key Regulatory Gateway
An AFSL is a mandatory license issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) that authorizes entities to provide financial services, including dealing in financial products and operating payment systems. For Ripple, obtaining this license through the acquisition of BC Payments provides a direct and compliant pathway to offer its full suite of payment services within Australia’s mature and sophisticated financial market.
BC Payments, established in 2023, was built to serve the specific needs of fintechs and banks by providing robust solutions for cross-border payments and facilitating global expansion. Its infrastructure directly addresses common pain points for high-growth firms, such as limited access to efficient clearing, settlement, and international payment networks.
Enabling Compliant, End-to-End Cross-Border Value Transfer
With an AFSL, Ripple Payments will be empowered to manage the entire transaction lifecycle for its institutional clients in Australia. This includes critical functions such as compliance monitoring, foreign exchange (FX) execution, liquidity management, and final settlement. The integration aims to seamlessly connect traditional banking rails with digital asset infrastructure, ultimately allowing financial institutions and enterprises to move value across borders with greater speed, transparency, and cost efficiency—all within a fully regulated Australian framework.
“Licensing is fundamental to Ripple’s strategy, ensuring we can deliver secure, compliant solutions to customers worldwide,” said Fiona Murray, Regional Director for Asia Pacific at Ripple. “Australia is a key market for Ripple, and an AFSL strengthens our ability to scale Ripple Payments across the region.”
Momentum Behind Ripple’s APAC Growth
The planned acquisition, pending standard completion conditions, coincides with period of robust regional performance. Ripple reported that its APAC payments volume nearly doubled year-on-year in 2025, underscoring strong demand for modernized payment infrastructure in the region.
This focus on regulatory compliance is not new for Ripple. The company holds over 75 global licenses and registrations, positioning it among the most regulated entities in the digital asset space. This extensive licensing framework supports its mission to build scalable, modern payment and treasury infrastructure that helps institutions transition from legacy systems.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Vivian Nguyen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
