NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has received a generous renewed grant from Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI), extending a long-standing collaboration to advance blockchain research, education, and innovation. The six-year grant will support work led by Professors Raša Karapandža and Yaw Nyarko, Co-Directors of NYUAD’s Center for Technology, Economics and Development (CTED).
The funding will accelerate research into how decentralized technologies can improve market efficiency, reduce barriers to trade, and support inclusive economic growth. Based at NYUAD and operating globally, CTED conducts research at the intersection of technology and economic theory, with projects spanning the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America.
A key outcome of the partnership is the Volta Initiative, a serverless mobile application built on blockchain infrastructure that supports trade among smallholder farmers in Ghana, demonstrating how decentralized technologies can drive real economic impact.
Over the next phase, the grant will support three main areas:
- Expansion of the Volta Initiative, scaling the platform to new regions and introducing financial tools such as credit and risk-management mechanisms
- Fintech innovation and venture development, supporting NYUAD’s hands-on fintech course where students design and test real-world blockchain applications and early-stage ventures
- Strategic convenings and research leadership, hosting forums that bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and scholars to shape the future of digital finance
“NYU Abu Dhabi has become a cornerstone of UBRI’s work in the Middle East. Through hands-on integration with the XRP Ledger in Professor Karapandža’s courses and applied research initiatives like Volta, the team is equipping students and researchers to build, test, and deploy real-world blockchain solutions. We’re proud to support NYUAD not only as a leader in digital finance, but as UBRI’s regional hub in the Middle East, driving collaboration, research, and talent development across the region.”
NYUAD Professor of Economics Yaw Nyarko added: “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.”
Through this renewed support, NYUAD continues to strengthen its role as a global hub for research and talent development at the intersection of finance and emerging technology.
