Ripple is planning to acquire BC Payments Australia to obtain an Australian Financial Services License and expand its regulated payments infrastructure across the Asia Pacific region.
Key Takeaways
- Ripple plans to acquire BC Payments Australia to secure an Australian Financial Services License and strengthen its regional presence.
- The license will allow the company to expand Ripple Payments, its platform that manages the full lifecycle of global transactions.
- Ripple already holds more than 75 regulatory licenses worldwide, supporting its push for compliant digital asset infrastructure.
- The deal is expected to close in early April 2026, pending regulatory approvals and customary conditions.
What Happened?
Ripple announced plans to acquire BC Payments Australia as part of its strategy to obtain an Australian Financial Services License. The move is designed to help the company scale its payments infrastructure in the Asia Pacific region and serve banks, payment providers, and enterprises seeking faster cross-border transactions.
The acquisition remains subject to regulatory approval, with the transaction expected to close in early April 2026.
Exciting milestone for @Ripple in Australia! 🇦🇺
— Ripple (@Ripple) March 10, 2026
Ripple is obtaining an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL). As we continue to bridge TradFi with the next gen of digital infrastructure, regulatory compliance remains the foundation of everything we build:… pic.twitter.com/JNF1iQSyG7
Ripple Looks to Strengthen Regulatory Footprint in Australia
Blockchain payments company Ripple is moving to deepen its presence in the Asia Pacific region through the planned acquisition of BC Payments Australia Pty Ltd. By purchasing a company that already holds an Australian Financial Services License, Ripple can accelerate its ability to offer regulated financial services in the country instead of applying for a new license from scratch.
In a statement about the expansion, Fiona Murray, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Ripple, said:
The license will allow Ripple to bring its Ripple Payments platform to more customers in Australia. The system integrates traditional banking infrastructure with digital assets to streamline global payments.
How Ripple Payments Works?
Ripple Payments is designed to manage the entire lifecycle of a transaction within a single platform. The infrastructure combines blockchain technology and conventional financial rails to simplify cross border transfers.
Key capabilities of the platform include:
- Customer onboarding and compliance management.
- Liquidity sourcing and foreign exchange processing.
- Payment funding and settlement.
- Global payouts through both traditional banking rails and digital assets.
This unified system allows institutions to avoid dealing with multiple intermediaries or complex blockchain integrations. It also enables Ripple to directly oversee settlement processes, optimize transaction routing, and reduce counterparty risks.
According to Ripple, the platform helps financial institutions move value globally with improved speed, transparency, and reliability.
Growing Demand for Digital Payments in Asia Pacific
Ripple’s expansion plan comes at a time when demand for blockchain based financial infrastructure continues to grow in the Asia Pacific region.
The company reported that payments activity across the region nearly doubled in 2025, highlighting strong adoption among financial institutions and fintech companies.
Australia is considered an attractive market due to its mature financial sector and active fintech ecosystem. Ripple already works with several companies in the country, including:
- Hai Ha Money Transfer
- Novatti Group
- Stables
- Caleb and Brown
- Flash Payments
- Independent Reserve
By securing an Australian Financial Services License, Ripple aims to better serve these partners and attract new institutional clients looking to integrate digital asset solutions.
Ripple Expands Global Compliance Strategy
The planned acquisition is part of Ripple’s broader push to build a fully regulated global payments network. The company currently holds more than 75 regulatory licenses and registrations worldwide, allowing it to operate across multiple jurisdictions.
Ripple president Monica Long highlighted this regulatory momentum in a post on X, stating:
Recent regulatory milestones include securing a full Electronic Money Institution license in Luxembourg, enabling services across the European Union. The company also received conditional approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to pursue a national trust bank charter.
Ripple continues to expand its digital asset ecosystem as well. XRP, the token closely associated with Ripple, currently ranks among the largest crypto assets by market capitalization. Meanwhile, the company’s dollar backed stablecoin RLUSD has grown into one of the largest stablecoins in the market and recently expanded its institutional usage through a partnership with LMAX Group.
CoinLaw’s Takeaway
From my perspective, this move shows how serious Ripple is about building a fully compliant global payments network. In my experience covering the crypto industry, companies that prioritize licensing often gain stronger trust from banks and large institutions.
I found that Ripple’s strategy of acquiring licensed firms rather than waiting for long approval processes could help it expand much faster in key financial markets. Australia has a strong fintech ecosystem, and gaining regulatory approval there could open the door to more institutional partnerships across the Asia Pacific region.
If the deal closes as expected, it could become another important step in Ripple’s long term plan to connect traditional finance with blockchain powered payments.
