Cryptocurrency Payments Gain Traction Across Dubai for Daily Transactions

The UAE is rapidly advancing the use of virtual assets for a variety of transactions, enabling residents to use cryptocurrencies for travel, retail, and certain property dealings. This expansion aligns with Dubai's goal for a cashless economy and is facilitated by licensed payment providers who convert digital assets into UAE dirhams for merchants.

Travel and Retail Adoption

Emirates Airline introduced Crypto.com Pay on 28 July, allowing eligible UAE residents to book flights using cryptocurrency via its website and mobile app. Customers use their Crypto.com accounts, with payments settled by Emirates in AED. Similarly, Air Arabia implemented payments using AE Coin through the AEC Wallet in May 2025. AE Coin is a dirham-backed stablecoin, offering a direct, regulated alternative for flight bookings.

Dubai Duty Free also embraced Crypto.com Pay on 5 August, making it possible for eligible UAE residents to purchase items at Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, and its online store using cryptocurrency. As with airlines, Dubai Duty Free receives settlement in dirhams, maintaining transaction stability within the regulated financial framework.

Future Plans for Government Services

Dubai is moving to integrate virtual asset payments for government service fees. In May 2025, Dubai’s Department of Finance signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Crypto.com to develop this system. A significant regulatory step occurred in May 2026 when Crypto.com secured a Stored Value Facilities licence from the UAE Central Bank. This initiative is part of the Dubai Cashless Strategy, aiming for 90% cashless transactions across government and private sectors by the end of 2026.

Crypto in Property Transactions

While direct transfers of cryptocurrencies to the Dubai Land Department for title deeds are not standard, virtual assets can be used to fund property purchases. This typically involves a licensed intermediary converting the cryptocurrency into dirhams before the funds reach the seller or enter the official registration process. The dirham remains central to the regulated transaction, even when the initial funding is in crypto.

It is important to distinguish this from property tokenisation, which is also being developed in Dubai. Tokenisation involves dividing property ownership or economic interests into digital units on a blockchain. The Dubai Land Department launched its Prypco Mint pilot in May 2025, facilitating investments from approximately AED 2,000. These tokenised transactions are conducted in dirhams, not cryptocurrency. The DLD projects that tokenised property transactions could reach AED 60 billion ($16.3 billion) by 2033, representing about 7% of Dubai’s total real estate transaction value.