Emirates has started accepting crypto payments on its website and app through Crypto.com Pay, but the option is limited to UAE residents paying in AED. The airline doesn't hold crypto itself — payments are converted to AED or AED-backed stablecoins under a Stored Value Facilities (SVF) license held by Crypto.com's UAE arm, Foris DAX Middle East FZE. Crypto.com is the only exchange with a CBUAE SVF license, making it the exclusive partner for regulated crypto payments in the country.
How the payment works
Users must fund their purchase from a Crypto.com wallet and approve the transaction via the Crypto.com app on mobile or a QR code on desktop. That adds steps compared to using a saved credit card. Emirates doesn't receive crypto directly; the conversion happens on the backend. The checkout flow is live now for fares priced in AED.
Why it took 384 days
The launch comes 384 days after Emirates and Crypto.com signed a memorandum of understanding on July 9, 2025. About 80% of that time was spent waiting for the CBUAE to grant the SVF license, which finally came on May 11, 2025. The license itself predates the MoU — Dubai Finance had announced a partnership with Crypto.com in May 2025, and the SVF license was issued that same month.
Limited to one country
Emirates carried 53.2 million passengers last financial year across 152 cities in 80 countries. The crypto payment option reaches exactly one of them. International tourists — 18.7 million visited Dubai in 2024 — are excluded, despite earlier statements identifying them as a key target for digital payments. The airline's global network doesn't change the fact that this is a local experiment.
Dubai's digital payments push
Dubai has set a goal for 90% of government and private sector transactions to be digital by the end of 2026. The Emirates-Crypto.com tie-up fits that ambition, but the narrow scope — one country, one currency, one wallet provider — shows how far the city has to go. The SVF license remains exclusive to Crypto.com for now, and no timeline has been given for expanding the payment option to other currencies or to tourists.
