Ripple (XRP) Targets April 1 for Full Australian Licensing Through Strategic Acquisition

TLDR

• Ripple is set to acquire BC Payments Australia to obtain an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL)
• The acquisition is scheduled to finalize on April 1, 2026, enabling expedited entry into Australia’s regulated financial sector
• APAC payment volumes for Ripple expanded nearly twofold year-over-year during 2025, part of $100 billion in global transaction volume spanning 60 jurisdictions
• At announcement time, XRP was valued at $1.38, showing a daily increase of 0.3% and weekly growth of 1.7%
• Ripple has committed to participating in Project Acacia, a digital asset infrastructure program spearheaded by Australia’s reserve bank

Ripple is pursuing regulatory authorization in Australia through the strategic acquisition of a payments firm that currently possesses the necessary credentials. This approach enables the company to deliver compliant cryptocurrency payment solutions in Australia while bypassing the extended timeline associated with new license applications.

The firm revealed its intention to purchase BC Payments Australia Pty Ltd, a corporate subsidiary connected to the European Banking Circle Group. This transaction provides Ripple with an Australian Financial Services License, which the organization identifies as essential for expanding its payment operations throughout the region.

Instead of pursuing a fresh AFSL application, Ripple opted to purchase an entity with existing authorization. This strategy accelerates market entry, although license retention hinges on successful deal completion.

Once the AFSL becomes operational, Ripple indicates it can oversee complete payment processes — encompassing customer onboarding, regulatory compliance, funding operations, currency exchange, liquidity oversight, and final disbursement — by integrating conventional banking with digital asset capabilities within a unified platform.

Australian clients currently utilizing Ripple Payments include Hai Ha Money Transfer, Stables, Caleb & Brown, Flash Payments, and Independent Reserve.

APAC Region Shows Strong Growth

Ripple reported that its APAC payment volumes increased nearly 100% compared to the previous year in 2025, although exact numbers weren’t disclosed. This expansion contributes to the company’s recently announced achievement of processing $100 billion in total transaction volume across 60 global markets.

Additionally, the company is becoming a participant in Project Acacia, a program administered by the Reserve Bank of Australia alongside the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre, which concentrates on developing digital asset infrastructure.

Australia continues advancing its cryptocurrency regulatory structure. The Digital Asset Framework legislation cleared the lower house during February and currently awaits Senate review. ASIC, the nation’s securities regulator, has announced it will refrain from licensing enforcement actions until no earlier than June 30, 2026.

Global Licensing Strategy Expands

The Australian initiative represents one component of a comprehensive licensing campaign. Throughout the past year, Ripple has obtained payment authorizations in Singapore, the UAE, and the UK. The company also recently gained provisional approval for a national trust banking charter within the United States.

Ripple has pursued additional growth through corporate acquisitions, purchasing Hidden Road — subsequently rebranded as Ripple Prime — becoming the first cryptocurrency-native enterprise to operate a multi-asset prime brokerage. The company also acquired GTreasury, a corporate treasury management platform.

Murray expressed optimism that obtaining the AFSL could help mitigate crypto debanking issues in Australia, where leading financial institutions have implemented limitations on customer transfers to cryptocurrency platforms. The country’s four dominant banks — Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, National Australia Bank, and Westpac — have each established various forms of these constraints.

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is similarly pursuing AFSL authorization in the upcoming months.

XRP was valued at $1.38, reflecting a 0.3% daily gain and 1.7% weekly increase when the announcement was made.

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