Binance Blockchain Week — a major two-day crypto conference running from December 3 to 4 — is now underway in Dubai, UAE, bringing together influential leaders from across the digital asset space.
One of the key speakers at the event is Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple. During a panel discussion titled “The Path Ahead: Moving Forward,” he appeared alongside Solana Foundation President Lily Liu and Binance CEO Richard Teng. Garlinghouse expressed optimism about the future of crypto and reaffirmed that progress requires forward momentum — a sentiment he had previously shared publicly, saying, “Moving forward is the only path worth considering.”
A major focus of his remarks was the rising relevance of stablecoins globally — and particularly in the Middle East. Ripple entered the stablecoin sector in December 2024 with the launch of Ripple USD (RLUSD), which has already reached a market valuation of approximately $1.027 billion.
According to Garlinghouse, the market’s perception of stablecoins is shifting rapidly. He noted that more individuals and institutions now recognize their stability, efficiency, and ease of transfer — especially in regions with advanced digital asset frameworks such as the UAE.
This growing acceptance was underscored by a recent milestone: RLUSD has been officially recognized by Abu Dhabi’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), classifying it as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token. This approval allows RLUSD to be used within the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), one of the region’s leading financial hubs. Regulatory approval has also expanded elsewhere in the Middle East, further strengthening RLUSD’s credibility.
Ripple’s presence at Binance Blockchain Week continues with an upcoming session led by Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa. His presentation, titled “The Next Era of Payment Rails,” will explore how blockchain-based payment networks are enhancing global transaction settlement, improving speed, and increasing financial connectivity.
Ripple’s progress in the stablecoin ecosystem was further emphasized last month at the Swell conference, where the company revealed a collaboration with Mastercard, WebBank, and Gemini. The partnership aims to explore the role of RLUSD on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) to support blockchain-powered settlement for fiat card transactions.
