Dubai has made great strides in adopting smart payment solutions and digital currencies in daily transactions

Government officials and experts in the financial technology sector confirmed that Dubai continues to consolidate its position as a global capital of the digital economy, thanks to a flexible regulatory environment, innovative legislation, and advanced infrastructure.

They explained to Emirates Today that the emirate has come a long way in adopting smart payment solutions and digital currencies in daily transactions, whether at the level of government departments or the private sector.

They pointed out that the percentage of government transactions completed through digital channels reached 97% in 2024, with a goal of raising the percentage to 90% of the total transactions in the public and private sectors by 2026.

They pointed out that the establishment of the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority in Dubai was a milestone that enabled companies to work according to clear frameworks that enhanced trust and transparency, and contributed to attracting major international companies in this field.

They stressed that the entry of strategic sectors, such as real estate and aviation, into the digital payment circle reflects a qualitative transformation that places Dubai in a global leadership position and establishes a new era of non-cash transactions.

In detail, the Director of the Digital Payment Systems Regulation Department at Dubai Finance, Amna Mohammed Lootah, confirmed that “the department has achieved tangible progress in digitizing government transactions, as the awareness campaigns it led years ago contributed to raising the percentage of government transactions paid through digital channels, until it reached 97% in 2024.”

She pointed to concluding partnership agreements with government and private agencies, to enhance the payments infrastructure, expand the scope of acceptance of cards and digital wallets locally and internationally, and launch initiatives directed at specific groups, such as workers, tourists, and small and medium-sized companies, with the aim of increasing digital inclusion.

Lootah stated that Dubai Finance aims, during the year 2026, to reach the percentage of financial transactions carried out via digital methods and channels in the public and private sectors to 90% of the total transactions, so that the use of cash in conducting financial transactions will be at its lowest levels, paving the way for a new era of digital payments.

The Director of the Digital Payment Systems Regulation Department at Dubai Finance explained that the “Dubai Cashless Strategy” sets a unified framework and clear policies for adopting digital payment solutions, within axes that include governance, innovation, and society, in addition to providing incentives and technical facilities to institutions, companies, and customers, which reduces the need for separate cash solutions, and accelerates the application of common standards and solutions. Overall.

She added that digital payment solutions had a positive and measurable impact on customers’ experience, by simplifying procedures, reducing the time for completing transactions, and reducing difficulties associated with the use of cash, such as slow execution of operations. The result was a smoother, faster, and more transparent experience in receiving government services, with a noticeable decline in complaints related to cash transactions.

Lootah said: “We believe that the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Executive Council, who launched Dubai’s cashless strategy in October of last year, paved the way for an integration of several important factors.”

She added that these factors include large investments in digital infrastructure, the existence of a vital partnership system between the public and private sectors, in addition to awareness programs directed to multiple groups in society.

She stressed that the current infrastructure in Dubai is advanced, as it supports the presence of central payment platforms, standard application programming interfaces that link government agencies to each other and to service providers, in addition to integrated digital collection systems that accept local and international cards and digital wallets, supported by advanced security protocols to ensure the confidentiality and safety of transactions.

She stressed that this integration enables customers to conduct unified and secure payment transactions through multiple channels.

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For his part, the Chief Operating Officer of Crypto.com, Mohammed Al-Hakim, confirmed that “the Dubai government is one of the first governments to allow payment in digital currencies in its official transactions,” pointing out that implementation has entered its final stages, and the final commercial date is scheduled to be announced after the completion of the technical arrangements.

Al-Hakim added that the partnership that his company signed with the Dubai government last May, to pay using stable currencies with immediate transfer to the Emirati dirham, is considered a global qualitative leap in digital transformation, noting that work is currently underway to complete the technical integration.

He said: “We have expanded the scope of our cooperation to include multiple strategic sectors that enhance the presence of digital currencies in daily life, in partnership with the Emirates National Oil Company, to experiment with digital payments at gas stations, Dubai Duty Free, the largest free market in the country and the world, and the Dubai Land Department in the field of real estate coding.”

He continued: “We also signed with the Emirates Airlines Group, which is scheduled to begin accepting digital currencies as a direct means of payment for travel tickets and services, making it one of the first global airlines to offer this advanced option to customers.”

Al-Hakim stressed that Dubai has become one of the cities most ready to adopt digital currencies in the world, noting that the UAE, today, includes one of the largest holders of Bitcoin wallets in the world, which is a strong indicator of the amount of confidence and existing digital reserves.

Regarding the trend to provide “crypto” payment solutions in new sectors, Al-Hakim revealed that private schools in Dubai have begun accepting fees in digital currencies, and the real estate sector has become a pioneer through real estate tokenization, anticipating that with the expansion of the digital infrastructure, acceptance will include sectors such as health, travel, and daily services.

He stressed that the entry of strategic sectors, such as real estate and aviation, into the digital payment circle reflects a qualitative transformation that places Dubai in a global leadership position and establishes a new era of non-cash transactions.

Regarding the impressions of users and investors in Dubai about using “crypto” as a daily payment tool, Al-Hakim stressed their great enthusiasm, with a focus on stability and speed, revealing an increasing demand for the use of stable currencies, because they give confidence that the transaction is secure and is settled directly in dirhams, whether for the government or the private sector.

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For his part, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Founder of Bitcoineen, Nawab Al Balushi, stressed that “Dubai continues to consolidate its position as a global capital of the digital economy, thanks to a flexible regulatory environment, innovative legislation, and advanced infrastructure.”

He pointed out that since 2022, the emirate has achieved significant developments in terms of regulatory and operational frameworks, led by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), which in 2025 expanded the regulatory framework known as “roll-box” to include a wider range of activities and practices in the sector.

He also pointed out that the emirate has made great strides in adopting smart payment solutions and digital currencies in daily transactions, whether at the level of government departments or the private sector.

Al Balushi added that the inclusion of major companies such as (Binance and OKX) in the public registry of licensed entities in Dubai contributed to raising the level of transparency in the market in an unprecedented manner, and helped operate local platforms equipped with dirham payment gateways, which strengthened investor confidence, whether inside or outside the country.

He pointed out that the regulatory momentum is not limited to Dubai only, but includes the entire UAE, as regulatory bodies support this trend through continuous updating of systems. In 2024, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) updated its regulations related to dealing with “Crypto Tokens.”

Al Balushi pointed out that the business environment in the country is witnessing positive indicators that support the path of growth, explaining that the UAE’s exit from the “grey list” of the Financial Action Task Force in February 2024 constituted a pivotal step towards enhancing creditworthiness and increasing the confidence of international investors.

He also pointed out that Dubai today hosts the largest gathering of “Web3” companies in the region, as the number of crypto companies registered within the Crypto Center of the Dubai Multi Commodities Center exceeded 700 companies during the year 2025.

Al Balushi stressed that “Dubai is now very close to being considered a global model to be emulated in the field of the digital economy, thanks to its advanced regulatory and legal system, its smart infrastructure, and specific government initiatives such as the national digital currency project.”

He added that the elements that Dubai enjoys, including flexible regulation, locally licensed international players, specialized economic zones, and an attractive environment for talent, in addition to business incubators and accelerators, make it an ideal environment for the growth of startups and enabling them to access financing and banking partners easily.

Regarding the rates of adoption of digital assets in the Emirates, Al Balushi pointed out that estimates indicate that between 25% and 33% of the country’s population own digital currencies, which makes the Emirates ranked third globally in adopting cryptocurrencies, and he expects this percentage to rise with the entry of major companies from sectors such as real estate and aviation.

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For his part, Farhad Azizi, CEO of Azizi Group, said, “The real estate sector in Dubai is witnessing a qualitative shift in adopting digital payment solutions,” stressing that adopting digital currencies as an additional option for payment methods is a natural part of this rapid development.

He pointed out that Dubai has laid a solid foundation for digital transformation through integrated government initiatives, most notably the establishment of the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), which established clear frameworks for regulating transactions related to digital assets, adding that “it is natural for this trend to extend to the real estate sector, as it is a basic pillar of the emirate’s economy.”

Azizi explained that “digital currencies will play an increasing role in shaping the future of real estate investment, especially in markets like Dubai that embrace innovation and support regulation,” pointing out that these currencies provide a fast, cross-border means of payment, facilitating the entry of global investors without traditional challenges.

Azizi pointed out that the Dubai Land Department is leading efforts to develop a digital investment environment that includes virtual real estate assets and Block Chain applications, in line with the Dubai Real Estate Strategy 2033 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, to consolidate the emirate’s position as a global destination for smart real estate investment. He expected that payment in digital currencies would become more widespread in the coming years, without replacing traditional methods, but rather complementing them within a diverse payment system, stressing that the adoption of these currencies supports Dubai’s position as a global capital for real estate and financial innovation, especially in light of the presence of clear legislative frameworks.

The CEO of Azizi Group stressed his group’s commitment to adopting technologies such as asset coding and blockchain, because of the security, transparency, and efficiency they provide, and expanding the investor base in the real estate market.

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Virtual assets sector

The Dubai Virtual Assets Authority confirmed, in exclusive statements to Emirates Today, that its establishment from scratch provided an opportunity to work side by side with the virtual assets sector without previous regulatory restrictions, which enabled it to issue clear and rapid regulations related to licenses and operational directives.

The authority indicated that Dubai realized early on the importance of the need for a special regulatory system for virtual assets, and it established the first independent regulatory body in the world specialized exclusively in regulating this sector.

She also explained that the establishment of the authority enabled companies to work according to clear frameworks that enhanced trust and transparency, and contributed to attracting major international companies in this field, thus forming a milestone that contributes to attracting companies and talents to Dubai.

She pointed out that transparent legislation and specific licensing stages give platforms greater confidence to allocate resources and launch in the UAE market, stressing that companies that see a clear path to obtaining operational licenses are committed to launching their operations from Dubai.

She stated that the Authority’s mission is focused on establishing stable and reliable rules for the development of the virtual assets sector in Dubai, noting that the regulatory framework adopted since 2022 is based on future principles that focus on the nature of activities rather than the technology used, which gives flexibility to service providers while maintaining compliance and risk management requirements.

It revealed that since its establishment until now, it has issued 36 licenses to entities operating in the virtual assets sector, noting that there are about 500 applications currently under evaluation and study.

700 companies in the Crypto Center in Dubai

The Dubai Multi Commodities Center’s Crypto Center includes more than 700 companies specialized in the fields of digital assets and the associated value chain, including blockchain infrastructure providers, digital coding platforms, metaverse solutions, and decentralized finance projects, recording an annual growth of 38%.

The center provides an integrated system that includes commercial services, support and mentoring programs, and access to financing, in addition to dedicated accelerator programs and exclusive partnerships with the most prominent global players in the field of third-generation Internet technology, making it today the largest gathering of digital asset companies in the region.