Crypto-payments firm Ripple announced two initiatives geared toward growing business interests in both the U.S. and Africa.

With the unveiling of an updated settlements platform, dubbed Ripple Payments, the company said it aims to attract a new brand of corporate clients in the U.S. with its cross-border payments solutions. Meanwhile, the company also announced a partnership with African fintech MFS Africa, which recently changed its name to Onafriq.

Both announcements come as Ripple hosts a flagship event in Dubai.

Ripple’s Head of Payment Products Brendan Berry said the company's new updated platform, Ripple Payments, is centered around simplicity. "We abstract all the complexity of interacting with digital assets and any knowledge or knowhow associated with blockchain and provide …