DriveWealth adds RLUSD settlement in Europe, eyes US expansion

DriveWealth is integrating Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin for settlement in Europe, with a US expansion planned, adding a blockchain-based funding route to a brokerage network that serves more than 100 partners. In its October 14 partnership announcement, DriveWealth said the integration will use RLUSD on the XRP Ledger, alongside Ripple’s mint and burn capabilities.

The announcement comes as US equities settle on a T+1 basis, while cross-border dollar transfers can take longer, according to the companies. DriveWealth says that mismatch can leave capital waiting while clients work around bank transfer windows and cutoff times. Its plan is to let clients fund and manage collateral accounts with stablecoins that convert to cash in near real time.

How will RLUSD fit into DriveWealth’s settlement flow?

RLUSD will support settlement in Europe first, while Ripple Payments will handle cross-border acceptance from DriveWealth’s global partners. The companies describe these as related parts of the integration: the stablecoin is the settlement asset, while Ripple Payments is intended to move funds into DriveWealth across markets. The announcement does not give a launch date or specify which partners will use the services first.

DriveWealth also plans to bring treasury and custody infrastructure onto Ripple’s rails. It says clients will be able to view money held in dollars, stablecoins or crypto and move between them. Digital-asset custody is planned for Europe, with expansion to other markets over time. The firms are also exploring equity-financing opportunities through Ripple Prime’s Delta One business; they have not announced a financing product or terms.

That scope makes the deal broader than a stablecoin-only settlement test, but the most immediate stated change is funding collateral accounts. DriveWealth CEO Naureen Hassan said the firm had already enabled 24/5 trading and wanted funding to match. The announcement does not say that RLUSD will change securities-market trading hours or replace existing cash settlement processes.

What does the stablecoin route change versus a bank wire?

The companies’ comparison is mainly about timing. A bank wire remains the familiar way to move dollars, but international clients may need to plan around transfer windows and cutoffs. Stablecoin funding could let capital move outside those schedules, while DriveWealth says conversion to cash will occur in near real time. That leaves an important dependency: the benefit relies on the stablecoin-to-cash conversion and the brokerage’s ability to use the funds for its workflows.

Compared with the existing route, the announced system adds an on-chain asset and Ripple infrastructure, including RLUSD on XRPL and mint and burn capabilities. DriveWealth has not disclosed fees, settlement performance, transaction limits or the arrangements for liquidity and conversion. Without those details, the announcement establishes the intended mechanism, but not how much faster or cheaper it will be for clients.

How does this fit Ripple’s institutional push?

The agreement adds a brokerage infrastructure provider to Ripple’s institutional stablecoin efforts. The Block’s report on the partnership noted that Standard Chartered had launched RLUSD custody on XRPL that week. That is a nearby use of the same stablecoin, though custody and brokerage settlement serve different functions. DriveWealth’s plan links settlement with payments and custody, while details on implementation remain limited.

The next signals are whether DriveWealth names a European launch date and participating partners, when it sets out a US expansion, and what it discloses about conversion, fees and liquidity. Those details will show whether the stablecoin route becomes a routine funding option or remains an additional rail alongside bank transfers.

Source material

• October 14 partnership announcement — drivewealth.com
• report on the partnership — theblock.co