Trident Digital Tech Holdings [NASDAQ:TDTH], the Singapore-based digital infrastructure company listed on Nasdaq, is seeking regulatory approval to operate stablecoins across several African markets in a push to expand the use of Ripple’s U.S. dollar–pegged token, RLUSD.
The initiative marks the latest step in the group’s strategy to embed itself deeper in the Web 3.0 and decentralised finance ecosystems. Trident said it believes RLUSD could help strengthen payment systems, ease cross-border transfers and address liquidity shortages in local currencies across the continent.
The company’s African push builds on recent work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it partnered with public agencies to launch a national blockchain-based identity programme known as DRCPass. The system integrates SIM registration, e-government services, payments and citizen identity into a single secure platform.
What is RLUSD?
RLUSD, issued by Ripple, has seen rapid adoption since its launch earlier this year, with more than $500m in circulation. Stablecoins, which are pegged to fiat currencies, have drawn increasing attention from policymakers and financial institutions in Africa as a potential tool to widen access to digital payments without the volatility of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
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Trident’s plans come amid growing activity in the region’s stablecoin market. Rival issuers have made inroads: Circle has deployed its USDC token in partnership with payment network Onafriq, while Visa has piloted stablecoin settlement programmes through local exchange Yellow Card in selected countries.
The advantages of RLUSD
The group’s leadership argues that RLUSD offers advantages for markets where dollar liquidity is often constrained and cross-border transfers remain costly and slow. Stablecoins could provide a cheaper, faster bridge between local financial systems and the global economy, while enabling merchants and consumers to transact in a currency less prone to depreciation.
“By pursuing stablecoin licenses and RLUSD adoption in Africa, we are furthering our mission to enable Web 3.0 transformations in emerging markets,” said Soon Huat Lim, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Trident. “Our success with national digital identity systems and this bold new trajectory into stablecoins reflect our belief: blockchain-native assets can reshape financial infrastructure — safely, inclusively, and pragmatically.”
Trident intends to secure licences for RLUSD operations in multiple African jurisdictions, though the rollout will depend on local regulatory frameworks. It is in talks with government agencies, financial institutions and technology partners to map licensing requirements and infrastructure needs. The company expects to launch pilot programmes in selected countries by mid-2026.
The push into African stablecoins follows Trident’s announcement earlier this year of plans to raise up to $500m to build one of the world’s largest corporate treasuries of XRP, another Ripple-issued digital asset. The treasury is designed to support staking and other decentralised finance activities within the Ripple ecosystem.
Trident’s flagship platform, Tridentity, underpins many of its emerging market projects. The blockchain-based identity solution offers secure single sign-on capabilities across industries and is designed to integrate with government and financial services. In the DRC, the technology underlies DRCPass, which serves as the national digital identity and is used for both public and private transactions.
Why Africa looks like an interesting market for Trident
The African stablecoin project is intended to complement this identity infrastructure, giving individuals and businesses a reliable method of storing and transacting in digital dollars while complying with local regulations. The combination of secure identity and stable digital currency, the company argues, could underpin a more inclusive financial system.
Africa has been a fertile testing ground for mobile and digital payments, with services such as M-Pesa demonstrating the continent’s appetite for leapfrogging legacy banking infrastructure. Stablecoins could be the next step in that evolution, provided issuers can navigate regulatory scrutiny and address concerns over money laundering, consumer protection and systemic risk.
For Trident, success will hinge on its ability to secure early regulatory buy-in, build trusted local partnerships and scale infrastructure rapidly. If achieved, the rollout of RLUSD across African markets could position the company as a leading provider of Web 3.0 financial infrastructure in one of the world’s fastest-growing payments landscapes.
