Dubai based airline Emirates has entered into a preliminary agreement with Singapore-based crypto firm Crypto.com, paving the way for customers to make payments through the platform’s crypto payment service. The agreement, announced on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, is expected to take effect in 2026, according to a Reuters report.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said the partnership is designed to cater to the airline’s younger, tech-savvy customer base that prefers using digital currencies.
The move reflects the United Arab Emirates’ broader push to become a global hub for cryptocurrency and blockchain innovation. In recent years, the country has seen a surge in crypto adoption across various sectors including real estate, education, and public transport.
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Dubai has played a central role in this expansion, establishing the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in 2022 to oversee the city’s growing virtual asset ecosystem. The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), one of the city’s largest free zones, now hosts over 650 crypto firms.
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Emirates is not the only regional airline embracing digital currency. In May 2025, budget carrier Air Arabia began accepting AE Coin, a UAE dirham-backed stablecoin for flight bookings.
In a parallel development, Dubai Duty Free has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Crypto.com, signaling its intent to accept crypto payments from travelers passing through Dubai International Airport. The announcement, also made on July 9, was reported by Gulf News. According to the report, Dubai Duty Free recorded sales of approximately AED 4.1 billion in the first half of 2025 and is now seeking to offer greater payment flexibility to travelers. “This MoU underscores our commitment to innovation and to providing greater convenience and choice for our customers,” said Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, at the signing ceremony held at the Emirates Group headquarters.
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