Emirates now accepts crypto payments through Crypto.com Pay, but only for UAE residents paying in dirhams. The move follows a 384-day regulatory and integration process.
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Emirates now accepts crypto payments for flight bookings through Crypto.com Pay, but the option is limited to UAE residents paying in dirhams. The airline launched the feature on its website and mobile app on July 28, 2026, after a 384-day journey from the initial memorandum of understanding signed in July 2025.
The checkout process differs by device. Mobile users get redirected to the Crypto.com app to authorize payment. Desktop users scan a QR code with their smartphone. In both cases, the airline does not receive digital assets directly. Customers pay from their crypto wallets, but Emirates settles in dirhams or stablecoins backed by the local currency, according to the companies.
The conversion runs through the Stored Value Facilities (SVF) regulatory framework overseen by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE). Crypto.com's local subsidiary, Foris DAX Middle East FZE, obtained the first SVF license issued by the CBUAE for a virtual asset service provider on May 11, 2026. No other exchange holds that specific banking authorization in the country as of the launch date. That license also covers planned integrations with Dubai Duty Free and government fee payments, the companies said.
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates, said the process moved quickly after the signing of the initial agreement. Roughly 80% of the 384-day timeline was spent on the banking license application phase. Integration into the airline's systems took 78 days after the CBUAE approval in May.
The restriction to UAE residents contrasts with earlier regional ambitions. In May 2025, the Dubai Department of Finance identified international tourism as the largest segment for digital payment adoption, after recording 18.7 million visitors in 2024. Emirates carried 53.2 million passengers across 152 cities in 80 countries during its last fiscal year, but the crypto payment option covers only one geographic market.
For international travelers to use this feature in the future, the CBUAE would need to modify its cross-border settlement guidelines or allow charges in currencies other than the dirham. The UAE government maintains its official goal to digitize 90% of public and private transactions by the end of 2026.
The move adds to a growing list of UAE crypto payment integrations. Binance launched direct AED deposit and withdrawal capabilities for UAE users through regulated local banking rails earlier this year. Revolut also secured in-principle approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) for a local crypto license, signaling broader regulatory momentum in the region.
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