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Dubai is set to make cryptocurrency a part of everyday travel as Emirates Airline and Dubai Duty Free partner with Crypto.com to enable crypto payments for passengers and shoppers.
In a groundbreaking move, both companies signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the global digital asset platform to explore the rollout of digital currency transactions across airports and flights.
Dubai Duty Free, which recorded Dh4.1 billion in sales in the first half of 2025, aims to let travelers pay with crypto both in-store and online. Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi called the agreement a step toward “greater convenience and choice,” aligning with changing preferences of global tourists.
The partnership will begin with feasibility studies, followed by joint development of crypto payment systems and promotional campaigns.
Emirates Airline, too, plans to integrate Crypto.com Pay into its booking platform by next year. “This initiative aligns with Dubai’s vision for digital leadership and helps us meet the needs of a new generation of tech-savvy travelers,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and CCO.
These partnerships are part of a wider strategy by Dubai to adopt digital payments across key sectors. Just days earlier, the Dubai Land Department signed an MoU with Crypto.com to launch blockchain-based property transactions, including tokenised real estate investments. This move is aligned with Dubai’s Real Estate Strategy 2033 and its Dh1 trillion transaction goal.
With digital currency already accepted for government payments in the UAE, crypto experts see these deals as a natural evolution in Dubai’s digital economy. Eric Anziani, President of Crypto.com, called the partnerships “a major boost” to crypto adoption and praised Dubai’s role as a “global leader in financial innovation.”
