Dubai Duty Free Becomes First Middle East Airport Retailer to Accept Cryptocurrency Payments

Dubai Duty Free launched Crypto.com Pay on August 5, 2026, becoming the first airport retailer in the Middle East to accept cryptocurrency payments. The service is available at Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, and online exclusively to eligible UAE residents. Transactions are settled immediately in UAE dirhams, eliminating volatility. The rollout complies with the Central Bank of the UAE's regulatory framework and supports the Dubai Cashless Strategy's target of 90% cashless transactions by the end of 2026.

Crypto.com Pay launch

• ▪Dubai Duty Free launched Crypto.com Pay on August 5, 2026, becoming the first airport retailer in the Middle East to accept cryptocurrency payments.
• ▪The Crypto.com Pay service is available across Dubai Duty Free outlets at Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, and on the retailer's online store.
• ▪The cryptocurrency payment option at Dubai Duty Free is available exclusively to eligible UAE residents who hold a Crypto.com account, excluding transiting passengers and tourists.

Payment settlement process

• ▪For online and mobile shoppers at Dubai Duty Free, the checkout system generates a QR code or redirects mobile users directly to the Crypto.com App to authorize the payment.
• ▪Dubai Duty Free does not hold cryptocurrency, as all transactions are settled immediately in UAE dirhams through Crypto.com's regulated payment infrastructure.
• ▪For in-store purchases at Dubai Duty Free, the point-of-sale system generates a unique QR code in UAE dirhams that customers scan and approve using the Crypto.com App.

Strategic partnership implementation

• ▪Dubai Duty Free is the second major UAE brand to launch Crypto.com Pay within a fortnight, following Emirates airline's launch of the service on July 28, 2026.
• ▪The rollout implements a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Dubai Duty Free and Crypto.com in July 2025 to explore blockchain-enabled payment solutions.

Regulatory framework compliance

• ▪Crypto.com is the first Virtual Asset Service Provider in the UAE to receive a Stored Value Facilities licence from the Central Bank of the UAE.
• ▪The rollout complies with the Central Bank of the UAE's regulatory framework, utilizing Crypto.com's Stored Value Facilities licence obtained by its UAE entity, Foris DAX Middle East, in May 2026.

Dubai digital commerce vision

• ▪The integration of Crypto.com Pay supports the Dubai Cashless Strategy, which targets making 90% of public and private sector transactions cashless by the end of 2026.
• ▪Crypto.com Pay joins Dubai Duty Free's existing digital payment options, which include Apple Pay, Alipay, and TerraPay.
• ▪Dubai Duty Free recorded record annual sales of 8.68 billion UAE dirhams (2.378 billion US dollars) in 2025, representing a 9.85% year-on-year increase.