
Ripple expands RLUSD into Turkey crypto market
Ripple has expanded its USD-backed stablecoin RLUSD into Turkey through partnerships with Bilira, Bitexen and Bitlo, targeting one of the world's most active cryptocurrency markets.
The rollout gives institutional users access to regulated digital dollars for payments, liquidity management, collateral, treasury operations and tokenisation, as Ripple seeks to deepen its presence across the Middle East and North Africa region.
“RLUSD has rapidly gained traction in financial use cases, serving as a vital bridge for payments, tokenisation, and collateral management,”
Said Ripple Senior Vice President of Stablecoins, Jack McDonald.
RLUSD has grown to a market capitalisation of approximately $1.7 billion since launching in 2024, reflecting increasing demand for regulated stablecoins in cross-border payments and financial infrastructure.
Turkey processed roughly $200 billion in crypto transaction volume during 2025, with adoption driven by inflation concerns, currency volatility and growing retail and institutional participation in digital assets.
“By integrating a regulated, enterprise-grade stablecoin like RLUSD, we're providing our customers with the highest standard of digital dollars for enterprise needs,”
Said Bitlo Chief Executive Officer, Mustafa Alpay.
The launch follows Turkey's implementation of a digital asset licensing framework in 2024, which provides regulatory clarity for exchanges and infrastructure providers seeking to offer crypto-related services.
Ripple's Turkish expansion builds on its broader Middle East strategy, which includes operating its regional headquarters in Dubai and securing approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority to provide regulated crypto payment services in the United Arab Emirates.