Ripple Secures Preliminary Luxembourg License Following UK Approval

Ripple ([XRP](https://holder.io/coins/xrp/)) has secured preliminary approval for an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license in Luxembourg as of January 14. This is a significant regulatory advancement for Ripple in Europe, following the UK's Financial Conduct Authority granting a full EMI license on January 9.

The Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) issued a "Green Light Letter," indicating completion of the legal review. Ripple must meet operational requirements for final authorization.
Full authorization will grant Ripple "passporting" rights to offer services across the European Economic Area.
This adds to Ripple's portfolio of over 75 licenses worldwide.
Ripple's strategy includes expanding its RLUSD stablecoin into Europe, targeting Luxembourg as an entry point.
The company is focused on licensing and infrastructure rather than public listings, aiming to bridge traditional finance with digital assets.

Market Context and Competition

The European payments market is competitive. Bitstamp and Circle have also secured regulatory approvals in the region.
The global stablecoin market is valued at $298.3 billion, with Tether leading ($177.9 billion) and Circle following ($72.8 billion). Ripple's RLUSD ranks tenth with a $1.4 billion market cap.
Ripple Payments has processed over $95 billion in volume, claiming to cover 90% of daily foreign exchange markets.