DriveWealth Taps Ripple’s RLUSD for Stablecoin Settlement, Starting in Europe - Yahoo Finance

DriveWealth, a US-based brokerage infrastructure provider, has begun using Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin to settle transactions, with the rollout starting in Europe, according to Yahoo Finance. The move places a regulated, dollar-pegged token inside the back-end plumbing that powers trading firms, rather than in customer-facing crypto products.

The development matters because settlement—moving cash between counterparties—is where traditional finance still relies on slow, batch-based rails. Stablecoins promise near-instant transfers, but institutional adoption has hinged on regulatory clarity and trust in the issuer. Using RLUSD, which is designed to meet New York trust standards, signals that infrastructure providers see compliant stablecoins as a viable alternative for cross-border settlement, especially in Europe, where MiCA rules now govern the sector.

What to watch: whether other brokerages or clearing firms follow with similar integrations, and whether RLUSD's volumes grow beyond niche use. Also monitor regulators' stance on stablecoins sitting in brokerage settlement flows, since that could shape how quickly this model spreads.