A new dedicated regional organization, XRP Asia, has officially launched with the mission of promoting growth and adoption of the XRP Ledger (XRPL) across Asia. The initiative is led by President Sabrina Tachdjian, who previously served as the Vice President of Fintech & Payments at the Hedera Foundation.
Upcoming Debut at Korea Blockchain Week
XRP Asia's first major public appearance is scheduled for October 3, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt Seoul during Korea Blockchain Week. Tachdjian is slated to speak at a session titled “Special Announcement: What’s Coming Next for the XRP Ecosystem in Asia,” which will be co-presented with Tatsuya Kohrogi of Ripple.
South Korean financial institutions, including Woori Bank and Kakao Bank, are scheduled to participate in the event. Discussion topics are expected to focus on cross-border payments and tokenized deposits, which function as digital twins of ordinary bank balances operating with the speed and programmability of crypto tokens. Meanwhile, daily XRP trading on leading South Korean exchanges like Upbit has outpaced volumes on several major global platforms.
Regional Footprint and Regulatory Milestones
Ripple maintains an established regional foothold through SBI Ripple Asia, a joint venture with SBI Holdings. The joint venture's token issuance platform received official registration under Japan’s Fund Settlement Act on March 26, 2026, followed by an announcement in early April 2026 confirming that platform development was complete.
Technical Upgrades Slated for October 2026
In addition to regional events, the XRP Ledger is preparing for technical updates. Upcoming protocol upgrades named Batch and Permission Delegation are planned for early October 2026, aligning with the timing of the Seoul ecosystem announcements.
