Partnership with Crypto.com enables eligible UAE residents to make digital currency purchases at DXB, Al Maktoum Airport, and online.
DUBAI, UAE August 6, 2026:Dubai Duty Free has officially launched Crypto.com Pay, becoming the first airport retailer in the Middle East to offer a regulated cryptocurrency payment option for travelers and online shoppers.
The rollout allows eligible UAE residents to complete purchases using their Crypto.com accounts across physical retail outlets at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (AMIA), as well as through the operator’s official e-commerce platform.
The initiative follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Dubai Duty Free and Crypto.com in July 2025 to explore blockchain-based checkout options and broader digital innovation. Under the arrangement, transactions are authorized through Crypto.com’s regulated infrastructure and converted directly into UAE Dirhams (AED) for merchant settlement.
At point-of-sale terminals in both airports, checkout systems generate a unique QR code reflecting the final transaction total in dirhams. Shoppers scan the code using the Crypto.com app on their mobile devices and authorize the payment from their personal digital wallet, triggering immediate confirmation on the retail register. Online shoppers at dubaidutyfree.com follow a similar QR-based authentication process.
Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, noted that moving from last year’s initial agreement to full deployment reflects the retailer’s broader digital transformation strategy. He emphasized that the introduction of regulated digital assets provides customers with additional payment flexibility while backing Dubai’s broader vision for digital commerce.
The integration comes as Dubai accelerates its Cashless Strategy, a key component of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). The framework targets converting 90 percent of all public and private sector financial transactions to cashless channels by the end of 2026.
The new crypto payment mechanism joins an existing lineup of digital payment options at Dubai Duty Free, including Apple Pay, Alipay, and TerraPay.
