NYU Abu Dhabi has received a six-year grant renewal from Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative, extending a partnership aimed at applied blockchain research and fintech education.
The funding will support work led by Professors Raša Karapandža and Yaw Nyarko, co-directors of NYUAD’s Center for Technology, Economics and Development. The centre conducts research at the intersection of technology and economic theory, with projects across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America.
A central outcome of the partnership so far is the Volta Initiative, a serverless mobile application built on blockchain infrastructure that facilitates trade among smallholder farmers in Ghana. Over the next phase, the grant will fund three areas: scaling Volta to new regions and adding financial tools such as credit and risk-management mechanisms; supporting NYUAD’s fintech course, where students design and test real-world blockchain applications and early-stage ventures; and hosting policy forums that bring together policymakers, industry figures, and researchers.
“Over the past several years, our collaboration with Ripple’s UBRI has grown into a major engine for innovation. We are not only teaching blockchain technologies, but also building practical solutions and supporting the next generation of founders in the UAE. This renewed support enables us to continue combining economic theory with real-world applications. By directly participating in the XRP Ledger, a global blockchain network that securely records digital transactions, we can conduct hands-on research in a real operating environment, while Ripple’s infrastructure supports our Volta research initiative and the digital tools we use in field experiments,” Professor of Economics at NYUAD Raša Karapandža said in a statement.
“Ripple’s funding allows us to deepen our research into how technology can reduce inefficiencies in markets and improve trust in economic transactions. By using blockchain to create transparent systems, we aim to make trade more accessible in regions where information gaps have traditionally limited opportunity,” NYUAD Professor of Economics Yaw Nyarko added.
Lauren Weymouth, Senior Director of University Partnerships at Ripple, described NYUAD as UBRI’s regional hub in the Middle East. “The team is equipping students and researchers to build, test, and deploy real-world blockchain solutions,” she said.
