Ripple Labs has announced an additional investment of $5 million aimed at promoting blockchain research and education across the Asia-Pacific region.
The funding will be allocated through Ripple’s established University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI), which backs academic institutions engaged in blockchain technology development.
The new funding will benefit universities in six countries, with Taiwan and Australia slated to receive new grants. Ripple is also renewing its partnerships with institutions in South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.
Ripple Strengthens APAC Presence with New Blockchain Grants for Taiwan, Australia, and More
In a blog post released on Tuesday, Ripple described this initiative as part of its long-term commitment to fostering blockchain talent and academic research in one of the globe’s most vibrant fintech environments.
“Asia-Pacific has long been a hub of fintech and blockchain innovation, and Ripple has been proud to invest in the region’s academic talent from the very beginning,” stated Eric van Miltenburg, Ripple’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives.
Academic research is the engine behind blockchain breakthroughs: https://t.co/RnzZiqUB6f
Ripple has been investing in the next generation of blockchain talent for over seven years, and we’re deepening that commitment in Asia-Pacific with new UBRI partnerships, including our…
— Ripple (@Ripple) June 10, 2025
In South Korea, Ripple has renewed a six-year, $1.1 million partnership with Korea University and continues its support for research initiatives at Yonsei University and Hanyang University. Their faculty are working on technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs, Layer 2 solutions, and privacy-enhancing tools.
In Japan, Ripple has also increased its support, with UBRI funding for the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University surpassing $1.5 million.
Singapore remains a vital partner, as Ripple has granted new funding to Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and renewed its financial support for the National University of Singapore (NUS), raising its total contributions in the country to over $3 million. At NTU, research teams are focusing on creating an AI agent network utilizing the XRP Ledger.
“This grant significantly enhances our research and empowers us to pursue high-impact projects,” remarked Professor Yang Liu from NTU. “It also enables more students and researchers to engage with the blockchain ecosystem.”
In Taiwan, Ripple is embarking on its inaugural UBRI partnership with the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST). This collaboration will focus on real-world asset tokenization through XRPL and will see the establishment of a student builder club and an XRPL validator.
Australia is also receiving renewed financial backing, with the Australian National University (ANU) obtaining funds to support legal studies on blockchain and XRPL development. Victoria University has also joined UBRI to develop blockchain curriculum and conduct applied research.
The funding will facilitate blockchain law courses, research into Layer 2 platforms like Evernode, and student-led publications.
Since its inception, UBRI has invested over $11 million in Asia and has partnered with 13 institutions in the region. Additionally, Ripple plans to unite global blockchain researchers for its seventh annual UBRI Connect, which will take place during the XRP Ledger Apex event in Singapore this year.
“Seven years into UBRI and with 60 university partners globally, we’ve seen firsthand the value of long-term collaboration. Asia-Pacific has long been a hub of blockchain innovation, and we’re proud to deepen our investment here,” Eric stated.
Ripple Expands Global Influence with Educational and Startup Grants in 2025 Initiative
As Ripple enhances its support for blockchain research in the Asia-Pacific region, the company is also broadening its philanthropic reach worldwide.
In May, Ripple announced a $25 million commitment to U.S. educational nonprofits DonorsChoose and Teach For America. For the first time, these organizations will receive most of the grant in Ripple’s USD-backed stablecoin, RLUSD.
This funding will facilitate diverse educational programs throughout the year, supporting thousands of classroom initiatives, Teach For America’s Ignite tutoring program, and the STEM Innovation Challenge.
This follows Ripple’s earlier $50 million grant in March, which was allocated to launch the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about cryptocurrencies throughout the United States.
@NatCryptoAssoc has launched to improve crypto literacy in the U.S., backed by a $50 million grant from @Ripple.#ripple #nca #xrphttps://t.co/p5BVP9Ofun
— Finance Newso.com (@Finance Newso) March 5, 2025
The NCA aims to provide educational resources and engage the public to enhance understanding of the practical applications of cryptocurrencies.
A recent survey, supported by Ripple, indicated that over 80% of Americans seek more guidance regarding digital assets.
In a parallel initiative in Asia, Ripple is extending its support to emerging Web3 projects in Japan through a new alliance with the Asia Web3 Alliance’s Web3 Salon.
Startups developing on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) are eligible to apply for grants of up to $200,000 per project, funded through Ripple’s XRPL Japan and Korea Fund, part of its larger $1 billion initiative to support developers.
Since 2018, Ripple has reported donations exceeding $200 million worldwide, with nearly 80% of its workforce actively participating in community impact programs.
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