Ripple director Reece Merrick presented a strategic development plan for the new stablecoin $RLUSD, in which Turkey, Nigeria and the UAE are identified as critically important nodes for the company’s global expansion.
According to his data, transaction volume through stablecoins by 2025 reached $33 trillion, which, for example, is twice the annual turnover of the entire Visa network. At the same time, transaction volume growth reached 72% year over year, while the current market capitalization of the sector stands at $320 billion.
Why are Turkey, Nigeria and UAE critical?
As Merrick writes, these three countries today form the core demand for digital dollars, driving the transition from speculative cryptocurrency use to real financial operations on a global scale.
When it comes to Turkey, it acts as a kind of “currency shield” and represents the largest digital asset market in the North Africa and Middle East region. Amid the instability of the lira, demand for dollar-denominated assets has become a necessity, and $RLUSD serves as a key instrument for capital protection.
In Nigeria, the situation is different. Here, Ripple’s stablecoin has already begun to displace traditional banking corridors, offering instant transfers without intermediaries. For comparison, the country generates $59 billion in annual remittances.
3/4 Dominance across the region:
🇹🇷 Turkey: The largest digital asset market in MENA, driven by currency volatility and demand for dollar-denominated assets
🌍Africa: Nigeria alone sees $59B in annual remittances, with stablecoins rapidly replacing traditional transfer rails…— Reece Merrick (@reece_merrick) March 10, 2026
Finally, the UAE acts as an institutional bridge. The Emirates have already approved $RLUSD for corporate settlements and launched their own dirham-backed stablecoin. According to Merrick, this region will become a sandbox for the global institutional payments market worth $170 billion.
Ripple has spent years preparing infrastructure for this moment, says Merrick, and $RLUSD represents a response to institutional demand as major players enter the blockchain ecosystem.