DriveWealth, a provider of brokerage infrastructure used by fintech firms, digital wallets and financial institutions, has entered a partnership with Ripple to add stablecoin settlement, cross-border payments and digital-asset custody capabilities. The collaboration, announced on October 14, 2026, centers on Ripple’s dollar-backed RLUSD stablecoin and aims to align account funding more closely with extended trading hours.

DriveWealth’s platform supports investment services for more than 100 partners worldwide that offer access to U.S. markets. Under the agreement, the company will integrate Ripple’s stablecoin infrastructure so clients can fund and manage collateral accounts with RLUSD. The tokens, issued on the XRP Ledger, can be converted into cash in near real time rather than waiting for traditional bank wires.

European Settlement First, U.S. Expansion Planned

Initial settlement services will launch in Europe using RLUSD on the XRP Ledger together with minting and burning functionality. DriveWealth plans to extend the same stablecoin settlement capability to the United States, though no specific timeline has been disclosed. Ripple Payments will also be integrated to accept incoming cross-border transfers from DriveWealth’s international partners, enabling 24/7 movement of funds outside conventional banking windows.

U.S. equity trades generally settle on a T+1 cycle, one business day after the transaction. Cross-border dollar transfers often take longer, which can leave capital tied up and raise funding requirements for firms handling international flows. The partnership seeks to reduce that friction by letting clients move money in step with market activity.

Hassan also noted that the arrangement extends the funding and custody experience already available to clients into stablecoins and digital assets. Clients will gain a consolidated treasury view that includes dollars, stablecoins and cryptocurrencies, with the ability to transfer between them.

Custody and Exploratory Equity Financing

Beyond settlement and payments, DriveWealth is working with Ripple on digital-asset custody services in Europe, with plans to expand to additional markets over time. The two companies are also exploring equity-financing opportunities through Ripple Prime’s Delta One business, which offers institutional clients total-return swaps and related equity derivatives on U.S. stocks and indexes.

McDonald said the integration modernizes how money moves and is supported across trading, custody and settlement. RLUSD is designed to maintain a one-to-one backing with U.S. dollar reserves that include cash and Treasuries. Institutional tools such as Ripple Mint provide interfaces for issuing, redeeming and monitoring the stablecoin.

Broader Context and Next Steps

The partnership builds on DriveWealth’s existing support for trading 24 hours a day, five days a week. By adding near-real-time stablecoin funding, the companies aim to keep client capital available rather than idle overnight or over weekends. Representatives from both firms are scheduled to discuss the collaboration during a fireside chat at Ripple’s Swell conference in New York City on October 28.

DriveWealth’s network already powers investing services across a range of fintechs and financial institutions. The addition of RLUSD settlement and related Ripple services positions those partners to offer more flexible funding options while maintaining connections to traditional market infrastructure.