Ripple is setting its sights on Turkey as a critical growth hub, with a top executive declaring the blockchain payments company "extremely bullish" on the country.
Reece Merrick, Ripple’s managing director for the Middle East and Africa, has characterized the nation as a global leader driven by economic necessity rather than mere speculation in his recent social media post.
Staggering adoption metrics
According to Merrick, the Turkish market is vastly outpacing its neighbors.
"Türkiye is leading crypto adoption in MENA and ranking among the highest globally!" Merrick stated.
He pointed to compelling 2026 data, which indicates that approximately 25.6% of the Turkish population currently owns cryptocurrency.
Furthermore, demographic surveys show that adoption reaches a staggering 52% among adults aged 18 to 60.
This massive retail and institutional interest is translating into significant capital flow.
Merrick noted that Turkey facilitated nearly $200 billion in annual crypto transactions in 2025 based on blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, a volume that ends up "dwarfing the rest of the region."
For years, Turkish citizens have grappled with the severe devaluation of the lira and high inflation rates.
This precarious macroeconomic environment is changing how digital assets are used in the country.
"Driven by inflation hedging and value preservation, we’re seeing a clear shift toward practical utility in emerging markets like Türkiye," Merrick wrote.
Instead of treating crypto solely as a high-risk investment, Turkish users are increasingly relying on the blockchain for everyday financial stability and borderless transfers.
RLUSD adoption
XRP. Merrick specifically highlighted Ripple's newly launched US dollar-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD.
"Stablecoins like RLUSD will play a vital role as a stable USD alternative amid lira volatility, supporting cross-border payments and financial resilience," he emphasized.
Merrick confirmed that the blockchain firm is already working alongside a number of traditional financial players in the country to integrate it.
"We’re extremely bullish on the continued growth along with our position in the market across all of our products," Merrick concluded.
Dan Burgin
Vladislav Sopov
