Global payments network Ripple has secured a major victory by obtaining official regulatory approval to provide crypto services in Ireland from the Central Bank of Ireland.
Ripple’s Regulatory Triumph
Last week, the Ripple team made a major announcement celebrating the addition of Ripple Markets to the Central Bank of Ireland’s Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP).
With this approval, Ripple gains the green light to provide digital asset services in Ireland. The endorsement will list Ripple’s Irish subsidiary, Ripple Markets Ireland Limited, in the Central Bank of Ireland VASP portfolio.
Additionally, the approval stands as a testament to Ripple’s vision for global expansion and its commitment and compliance with regulatory standards. The regulatory success will also open up opportunities for Ripple to provide certain services to users across the European Economic Areas.
Commemorating Ripple’s newest expansion success, SVP, of Strategic Initiatives at Ripple, Eric Van Miltenburg stated that the addition of Ripple Markets into Ireland would effectively boost Ripple’s exposure and innovative capabilities. He also disclosed that the approval would enable Ripple’s vision towards refining the virtual assets industry.
“The Central Bank of Ireland’s addition of Ripple Markets to its list of registered virtual asset service providers is a significant step forward for our business in the region. Ireland has positioned itself as a supportive jurisdiction for the virtual assets industry and consequently as a great place for businesses like Ripple’s to operate, reinforcing our decision to select Ireland as our primary base for EU regulation,” Miltenburg stated.
A Silver Lining Amidst SEC Struggles
Ripple’s latest regulatory victory in Ireland comes as the global payments provider struggles with the regulatory challenges arising from its legal battle with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The crypto company has been bridled in a three-year-long legal dispute with the SEC after the regulatory agency filed a lawsuit against Ripple in December 2020. Later in July 2023, Ripple gained a partial victory after Judge Analisa Torres ruled in favor of the global payments provider, stating that programmatic sales of XRP were not considered securities.
According to Miltenburg, the Central Bank of Ireland’s regulatory approval of the Ripple Markets will provide much-needed regulatory clarity for the global payments provider and also pave a path for the company’s future development.
“By providing regulatory clarity for the industry, Ireland and the EU more broadly are boosting confidence in the digital assets, payments, and fintech ecosystem and demonstrating their commitment to the long-term development of these industries,” Miltenburg stated.
