CryptoSlate
Ripple announced partnerships with DriveWealth and Meritz Securities on Oct. 14, extending its stablecoin, payments, custody and tokenization services into brokerage and securities markets. DriveWealth plans to integrate RLUSD on the XRP Ledger for European settlement, while Meritz will explore Ripple’s custody and tokenization infrastructure in South Korea.
Why it matters
DriveWealth provides investment infrastructure to more than 100 partners worldwide and already supports US equity trading 24 hours a day, five days a week. The planned RLUSD integration is intended to help international clients fund and manage collateral accounts using stablecoins, potentially reducing delays tied to bank operating hours. Ripple Payments and custody services are also part of the agreement, with custody initially planned for Europe and possible expansion to other markets.
Meritz is Ripple’s first Korean securities-firm partner and its fourth institutional partner in the country this year. The firms will initially explore custody and tokenization, while Meritz evaluates possible applications including fractional investments, security tokens, trading platforms, spot ETFs and won-denominated stablecoins. The agreement does not commit either company to launching those products.
Market impact
South Korea’s first phase of a tokenized-securities framework is scheduled to begin on Feb. 4, 2027. It is set to cover selected institutional bonds and money market funds, certain unlisted shares and fractional investment securities, with broader securities and stablecoin-linked settlement planned for later stages.
The partnerships give Ripple routes into existing brokerage infrastructure and a securities firm preparing for regulatory change. But the companies disclosed no expected settlement volumes, financial terms or full deployment timetable, so the commercial scale remains unclear.
Frequently asked questions
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How does DriveWealth plan to use RLUSD?
DriveWealth plans to integrate RLUSD on the XRP Ledger to support settlement in Europe. The firms may consider expanding the integration into the United States.
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What other Ripple services are part of the DriveWealth deal?
DriveWealth plans to use Ripple Payments for cross-border funding and Ripple’s digital-asset custody infrastructure in Europe, with plans to expand custody into additional markets.
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What products are Meritz and Ripple considering?
Meritz is evaluating fractional investment products, security tokens, trading platforms, spot ETFs and won-denominated stablecoins. The agreement does not commit either company to launching them.
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When does South Korea’s tokenized-securities framework begin?
The first phase is scheduled to begin on Feb. 4, 2027, when amendments to the Electronic Registration Act take effect.
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What remains undisclosed about the partnerships?
The companies have not disclosed expected settlement volumes, financial terms or a timetable for completing every integration.
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