XRP Price Eyes New Catalyst as Ripple Partners With South Korea’s Meritz

Partnership Overview## Ripple has partnered with South Korea’s Meritz Securities to assess its digital asset custody and tokenization infrastructure for the country’s capital markets. This partnership may bring new catalysts for the XRP price, which has slipped below $1.50. Meritz Securities plans to review how digital asset services could fit its capital-markets business as rules change.## Digital Asset Services## Meritz Securities is examining possible business lines that could become relevant as digital assets enter the regulated financial system. The company is assessing how several kinds of digital-asset services could fit its capital-markets business. Ripple’s tokenization infrastructure is intended for use by financial institutions, while Ripple Custody is designed for institutional digital-asset custody.## Regulatory Environment## South Korea’s digital-asset framework is developing, and the country is moving towards formal regulatory recognition of digital assets. Meritz Securities will review how digital asset services could fit its capital-markets business as rules change.## Tokenization and Custody## Tokenized securities can represent financial assets on a blockchain, but issuance and investor rights depend on the product and its legal structure. Ripple Custody is described as Ripple’s institutional digital-asset custody solution, while the company’s tokenization infrastructure is intended for use by financial institutions. Both are currently offered to global financial institutions.## Future Plans## Meritz Securities and Ripple will jointly review how they could be brought to the Korean capital market. The companies plan to begin cooperation within the limits of existing securities-business rules and regulations, then consider expanding it in stages as South Korea’s digital-asset framework develops.