Meritz and Ripple sign deal to explore custody and tokenisation in Korea

Meritz Securities and Ripple will pilot custody and tokenisation inside current Korean securities regulations, prioritising regulated infrastructure before broader expansion.

Agreement focus and phasing

The October 14 agreement centers on Ripple Custody and related infrastructure for capital-markets use. The parties will operate within Meritz’s existing permissions and expand cooperation in stages as Korean rules evolve. Custody is the first step: brokers need secure asset safeguarding, enforceable internal approval workflows, and auditable records to support tokenised securities. Korean financial institutions emphasise keeping these functions inside a regulated operating model.

Potential product areas under review

Meritz is evaluating spot ETFs, fractional investments, security tokens, and a won-linked stablecoin. These are exploratory areas. The agreement does not launch all of these products.

Market impact and constraints

This is Ripple’s first agreement with a Korean securities firm. It is an infrastructure partnership rather than a catalyst for immediate XRP trading volume. Commercial outcomes depend on which services Meritz ultimately introduces and whether the technology moves beyond pilot stages.