Ripple Moves Toward EU Compliance as MiCA Deadline Looms

Mila Mostovaya

July 31, 2025

XRP Ripple MiCA Crypto Regulations

More and more major crypto companies are seeking to legalize their operations in Europe because it provides regulatory advantages — and, of course, legal profit. One such company is Ripple. Let's look at what it means for XRP holders.

Disclaimer: Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. You could lose all of your capital.

The Context of MiCA

In April–May 2023, the European Union approved the MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) regulation — the first set of uniform rules for the cryptocurrency market. The European Parliament approved MiCA on April 20, 2023, with the final act signed on May 31, 2023. The regulation partially entered into force in the summer of 2023 and became fully applicable at the end of 2024.

MiCA establishes a single “passport” — a license recognized in all 30 countries of the European Economic Area (27 EU countries + Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein). Thanks to this, licensed firms can legally offer services across the EU under the supervision of a single national regulator.

The new regime increases legal certainty for businesses and users, which attracts investment to the region. Unlike the piecemeal policies of other jurisdictions, the EU has moved ahead of the U.S. in developing clear rules for the crypto industry.

The first international company to receive a MiCA license was ByBit. This significantly changed how crypto is used in Europe.

Against this backdrop, Ripple — a well-known blockchain payment provider using the XRP token — has strengthened its presence in Europe.

Ripple Between the U.S. and Europe

Ripple has been expanding its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) network in the EU since 2022, launching payment corridors in France and Sweden with fintech partners. In Q1 2023, Ripple acquired a stake in Bitstamp, a European crypto exchange based in Luxembourg, via a buyout from Pantera Capital.

At the same time, the company was still facing legal uncertainty in the U.S. Since December 2020, Ripple had been in litigation with the SEC, until July 13, 2023, when a federal judge issued a high-profile ruling: XRP as a token is not itself a security, and XRP sales on the open market did not violate securities laws (while direct institutional sales were considered investment contracts).

By the fall of 2023, the company announced that 80% of new hires were being made outside the U.S. — particularly in Europe — precisely because of regulatory uncertainty in the U.S. Ripple's management was open about its commitment to compliance where it was clear and deliberately sought licenses in jurisdictions with clear rules. At the time, there was still no comprehensive cryptocurrency law in the U.S.

In late 2024, Ripple launched its own Ripple USD (RLUSD), a dollar-linked stablecoin focused on corporate payments. The launch took place in November–December 2024, and in less than seven months the circulation of RLUSD grew to $500 million.

In early 2025, Ripple also took steps to integrate this stablecoin into global payment networks — in particular, it partnered with the Transak platform, enabling the purchase of RLUSD in 64 countries (including the EU and the U.S.) via bank cards, Apple Pay, SEPA and other methods. In April 2025, Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) became the primary custodian of RLUSD reserves, giving the stablecoin added credibility.

Crypto Way Through Luxembourg

At the end of April 2025, Ripple registered its subsidiary Ripple Payments Europe S.A. in Luxembourg. Luxembourg was not chosen by chance: the country aims to become a crypto hub, and major players like Coinbase have already obtained MiCA licenses there. It also offers favorable infrastructure with many international banks, including Ripple’s partners.

According to industry sources, Ripple has applied for an electronic money institution (EMI) license in Luxembourg, which would allow it to operate across all European Economic Area (EEA) countries.

Ripple's Official Statement of Intent to Obtain MiCA License

On July 15, 2025, Ripple publicly confirmed for the first time its plans to obtain a MiCA license. In comments reported by Cointelegraph, a Ripple spokesperson stated that the company intends to “become MiCA compliant” because it sees “significant opportunities in the European market.” In other words, Ripple officially announced its intent to become a licensed crypto service provider under the new EU regulations.

The official announcement did not specify the exact timeline for filing and obtaining a license, but the context made it clear that the process had already begun. Just a day earlier, on July 14, the industry publication Ledger Insights revealed further details: Ripple has indeed submitted documents to the Luxembourg Financial Sector Supervisory Commission (CSSF) for licensing, which required the registration of a local company and the involvement of legal experts in Luxembourg.

What It Means for Users and Crypto Holders

📌 If you live in the European Union and have a residence card or EU citizenship

The upcoming license means that Ripple services (e.g., cross-border payments via RippleNet using XRP or the RLUSD stablecoin) will be provided within the EU legal framework. Users in Europe can expect greater access to Ripple products — banks and fintech companies in EU countries will be more likely to join the Ripple network, knowing that it is licensed and monitored by the regulator. This could lead to new payment corridors, lower costs, and faster transactions in the European region.

European customers will gain legal protections: for example, MiCA obliges providers to disclose risks and comply with capital and custody requirements, so transactions through RippleNet will be more transparent and safer for businesses and individuals.

📌 If you live in the U.S. and have a residence card or U.S. citizenship

In 2025, the U.S. introduced clear legislative regulation for crypto assets for the first time — through the GENIUS Act, the CLARITY Act, and a ban on CBDCs. Ripple has been at the forefront of this process:

RLUSD meets the new standards
XRP strengthens its position as a commodity, mitigating regulatory risks
Ripple is listed on the Strategic Digital Reserve, which serves as a public sign of confidence

Looking ahead, Ripple’s deeper integration into the U.S. banking system and the global expansion of its services within legal frameworks are both likely — which will have a positive impact on users, institutional partners, and the liquidity of XRP and RLUSD tokens.

📌 New opportunities to work with cryptocurrency through Ripple

Obtaining the license will open the door to launching new products and features. Ripple will be able to offer a wider range of crypto services in Europe: the issuance and circulation of stablecoins (e.g., RLUSD) within the eurozone, crypto asset custody services for customers, exchange of XRP and other tokens, and possibly credit or investment services based on crypto assets — all within the authorized framework. For users, this means more convenient bridges between fiat and crypto. Already, the integration of RLUSD via Transak allows Europeans to buy the token with euros via SEPA or bank cards — literally in just a couple of clicks.

MiCA passporting will facilitate Ripple’s cooperation with numerous European banks and fintech startups looking to adopt its technology. For users, this will result in a wider range of services: from cheap cross-border transfers (especially relevant for migrant workers and businesses) to new options for storing and using digital currencies.