TLDR
- Jeel teams up with Ripple to test blockchain payments, custody, and tokenization
- Saudi bank innovation arm partners with Ripple to modernize digital finance systems
- Jeel and Ripple launch sandbox trials for cross-border payments and asset tokenization
- Ripple joins Jeel to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s blockchain-driven fintech expansion
- Jeel adopts Ripple tools to pilot faster payments and digital asset custody solutions
Jeel, the innovation arm of Riyad Bank, has moved to expand its digital finance capabilities through a new partnership with Ripple and the agreement signals a broader push to integrate blockchain systems into Saudi Arabia’s financial infrastructure. The collaboration aims to support national digital priorities, and it positions both firms to assess large-scale financial technology upgrades. Ripple enters the arrangement as a strategic blockchain provider, and its tools will guide the initial testing phase.
Cross-Border Payments, Custody and Tokenization
Jeel plans to use Ripple technology to evaluate faster and more transparent cross-border payment corridors, and the work will target remittance and trade routes in the Gulf. The partners will review how distributed systems reduce settlement delays, and they aim to measure gains in operational efficiency. Ripple platforms will support these tests and they will help define new standards for regional payment flows.
The partnership also includes early assessments of digital asset custody models, and Jeel intends to determine how secure storage frameworks can operate at scale. The work will focus on controlled environments, and it will highlight potential demand for regulated custody services across the banking sector. Ripple tools will support these evaluations and they will allow structured trials of digital asset handling.
Tokenization studies will add another track, and the teams will examine how real-world assets could appear on blockchain networks with higher transparency. The tests will explore how asset transfers function on distributed rails, and they will assess potential cost advantages for financial institutions. Ripple infrastructure will underpin these simulations, and it will guide the technical roadmap.
Regulatory Sandbox and Controlled Testing
Jeel will run the projects inside its regulatory sandbox, and the platform will enable Ripple systems to operate under supervised conditions. The sandbox structure will help ensure compliance during testing, and it will reduce risks linked to early adoption. Ripple integration will follow staged procedures and each phase will measure performance under real market constraints.
The sandbox supports digital experiments across the Saudi fintech sector, and it has become a core feature of the national innovation strategy. It offers a framework for trials covering payments, custody and tokenization, and it connects banks with emerging digital platforms. Ripple participation enhances this ecosystem, and it reinforces the Kingdom’s commitment to structured experimentation.
Saudi Arabia continues to expand its financial technology environment, and recent initiatives show a sustained focus on cloud, payments, and blockchain modernization. Authorities are setting up new infrastructure zones, and they aim to attract major technology firms into local markets. Ripple now becomes part of this broader transition, and its collaboration with Jeel aligns with ongoing national reforms.


