Ripple Labs has expanded its University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI) with an additional $5 million in grants across the Asia-Pacific region. The company is allocating new funds to institutions in Australia and Taiwan, marking a key step in its broader $30 million global education drive for 2025.
New Investments in Australia and Taiwan
Ripple has launched its first academic partnership in Taiwan by funding the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST). The university will focus on tokenising real-world assets using the XRP Ledger. Additionally, NKUST plans to set up a student builder club and run an XRPL validator node to strengthen hands-on blockchain learning.
Meanwhile, in Australia, Ripple extended support to the Australian National University (ANU) and added Victoria University to its network. ANU will lead legal research related to blockchain policy and regulation. In contrast, Victoria University will work on applied research and support curriculum development focused on blockchain technology.
Aligning with Long-Term Regional Strategy
These new grants reflect Ripple’s continued commitment to supporting fintech innovation through academic collaboration. Since launching UBRI in 2018, Ripple has invested over $11 million across Asia, forming partnerships with 13 institutions in countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.
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Ripple aims to back research in blockchain law, Layer 2 infrastructure (like Evernode), and student-led blockchain publications. The Asia-Pacific region remains a top priority for the company, with funding now spread across six countries.
Strengthening Ties with Existing Partners
In South Korea, Ripple renewed a $1.1 million deal with Korea University and continues to support blockchain research at Yonsei and Hanyang Universities. Current projects there include work on Layer 2 solutions, zero-knowledge proofs, and privacy technologies.
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In Japan, Ripple’s investment in the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University has surpassed $1.5 million. Meanwhile, Singapore’s academic ecosystem has received over $3 million in total, with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) building AI agent networks on XRPL. Ripple also renewed its partnership with the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Ripple will host the 2025 edition of UBRI Connect during the XRP Ledger Apex event in Singapore. This summit will bring together blockchain researchers from over 60 universities worldwide, reinforcing Ripple’s global academic vision.
