Absa Corporate and Investment Banking has launched its Digital Asset Custody service, using Ripple’s custody technology to help institutions securely manage digital assets in Africa. The service went live on September 21, 2026, turning a partnership first announced in October 2025 into a live offering.
Absa says the service provides a regulated environment for securing assets, managing private keys and controlling transactions and approvals. The bank is positioning the offering as an institutional-grade custody solution, allowing businesses to manage digital assets with standards similar to those used for traditional financial assets.
Digital asset custody is becoming an important part of the institutional crypto market. Unlike traditional assets, digital assets depend on private cryptographic keys for access and control. Protecting those keys is therefore a critical part of managing cryptocurrencies and other blockchain-based assets.
Absa said its new service is designed to address security, governance and regulatory requirements that institutions face when holding digital assets. The bank described the launch on X as a “digital first for Africa, built to institutional standards”.
A major milestone for institutional digital assets in Africa!
We’re proud to partner with @Absa_CIB Corporate and Investment Banking on the launch of Absa Digital Asset Custody.
By leveraging @Ripple’s custody technology, Absa is setting a new benchmark for secure, compliant,… https://t.co/ILo9DcQ1PD
— Reece Merrick (@reece_merrick) September 21, 2026
Ripple is providing the technology behind the custody service. Reece Merrick, Ripple’s managing director for the Middle East and Africa, said the partnership would help Absa provide secure and compliant digital asset management for institutions on the continent.
The launch follows the partnership announced by the two companies in October 2025. At the time, Robyn Lawson, Absa’s head of digital product for custody, said Ripple’s technology allowed the bank to use a system that met its security and operational requirements.
Custody for institutions is more than just keeping digital assets in storage. It entails establishing guidelines for transactions and approvals as well as maintaining the private keys that grant ownership over such assets. Significant security and governance issues can arise from a failure in any of these areas.
Which particular digital assets will be supported by the service has not yet been revealed by Absa. Additionally, neither pricing nor the names of the first institutions to use the platform have been disclosed. For more information, prospective institutional clients have been referred to Absa’s sales department.
Today, we’re excited to announce that @AbsaSouthAfrica, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, is now @Ripple’s first major custody partner in Africa: https://t.co/9FQ5GTxMnK
We’re bringing institutional digital asset custody to South Africa, providing the secure and…
— Ripple (@Ripple) October 15, 2025
Ripple’s market share in digital asset custody is increased with the introduction. Securosys hardware security modules and Figment staking capabilities were introduced to Ripple’s custody service in February 2026. Figment, which provides staking infrastructure, serves more than 1,000 institutional clients.
Ripple has also said its broader business holds more than 60 regulatory licences and registrations across the regions where it operates.
For Absa, the new service provides a banking infrastructure for institutions looking to participate in the digital asset market while keeping custody, security and transaction controls within a regulated framework.
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