Ripple, the blockchain infrastructure provider, has revealed its intention to secure an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) through a proposed acquisition of BC Payments Australia Pty Ltd, which it said would strengthen its regulated presence in Asia-Pacific and expand its payments services for financial institutions, fintechs and enterprises. The deal remains subject to finalising the standard completion process.
The AFSL, issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, is the licence required to provide financial services in Australia.
SETTLEMENT AND OPTIMIZATION GAINS
With the AFSL secured, Ripple says it will gain the ability to "directly oversee settlement, connect customers to local payout partners, and optimise transaction routing, delivering faster time to settlement, greater transparency, and reduced counterparty risk."
Ripple said its Asia-Pacific payments volume nearly doubled year on year in 2025. Its Australian customers include Hai Ha Money Transfer, Novatti Group, Stables, Caleb & Brown, Flash Payments and Independent Reserve.
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE SHIFTING
Ripple also takes part in Project Acacia, led by the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre.
Ripple said it would obtain its AFSL through the acquisition of BC Payments Australia, which would allow it to manage the full transaction lifecycle, from onboarding through settlement and payout.
Ripple's global payments platform is built on distributed ledger technology, and the company says it now holds more than 75 regulatory licences worldwide.
"Licensing is fundamental to Ripple's strategy, ensuring we can deliver secure, compliant solutions to customers worldwide," said Fiona Murray, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, at Ripple.