Several developments across the digital asset sector this week highlight the industry’s continued push toward regulatory engagement, geographic expansion, and infrastructure development. Updates from Ripple, WhiteBIT, and Bitget included in this digest point to growing institutional activity and international crypto market exploration.
Ripple Moves to Acquire BC Payments in Australia
Blockchain payments company Ripple has announced plans to acquire BC Payments as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
The proposed deal includes the transfer of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) held by BC Payments. The licence would allow Ripple, a crypto unicorn now valued at $40 billion, to expand regulated financial service offerings in Australia, including payment and digital asset-related services.
Australia has been developing a clearer regulatory framework for digital assets, making it an attractive jurisdiction for companies seeking compliant market entry in the region. If finalized, the acquisition could support Ripple’s efforts to expand enterprise payment infrastructure and cross-border transaction services in Asia-Pacific.
WhiteBIT Joins Ghana’s Crypto Regulatory Sandbox
Crypto exchange WhiteBIT has announced its participation in a regulatory sandbox initiative operated by the Bank of Ghana. The program allows fintech and digital asset companies to test products within a supervised regulatory environment.
Through the sandbox, WhiteBIT aims to explore compliant crypto services tailored to Ghana’s financial ecosystem while working with regulators to assess potential policy frameworks.
Participation in the initiative also marks a broader step in WhiteBIT’s expansion into African markets. Ghana has become one of the region’s more active jurisdictions in exploring regulated digital asset experimentation as authorities evaluate frameworks for fintech innovation and consumer protection.
Regulatory sandboxes are increasingly used by financial authorities globally to assess emerging technologies like crypto before implementing formal regulations.
Bitget Reports Strong Growth in Bitcoin Reserves
Crypto exchange Bitget has published its February transparency report highlighting growth in reserves and ongoing infrastructure investment.
According to the report, the platform recorded an 86% year-over-year increase in Bitcoin reserves, reflecting stronger asset backing as exchanges continue emphasizing proof-of-reserves and transparency measures.
Bitget also reported ongoing expansion of its trading infrastructure, including developments linked to artificial intelligence-based trading tools and integrations with traditional financial systems. The company indicated that the initiatives aim to support more advanced trading strategies and improve platform scalability.
Reserve reporting and infrastructure upgrades have become a key focus across the crypto industry following increased demand from users for transparency and operational resilience.
