Dubai Duty Free Accepts Crypto Payments in Regional First

Dubai Duty Free has introduced Crypto.com Pay as a payment option across its stores at Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, and its online store, becoming the first airport retailer in the Middle East to offer regulated cryptocurrency payments.

The new payment method allows customers to complete purchases through their Crypto.com accounts, with transactions processed using the company's regulated payment infrastructure. Dubai Duty Free receives settlement immediately in AED, while customers authorise payments through the Crypto.com App.

For in-store purchases, point-of-sale terminals generate a QR code for the purchase amount in AED, which customers scan and approve through the app before the transaction is completed. Online shoppers can also select Crypto.com Pay at checkout, scan a QR code and confirm payment through their digital wallet. On mobile devices, users are redirected to the app to authorise the transaction before returning to the retailer's website to complete their purchase.

The cryptocurrency payment option has been integrated alongside existing payment methods, including Apple Pay, Alipay and TerraPay.

According to Dubai Duty Free, the rollout supports the Dubai Cashless Strategy under the Dubai Economic Agenda, which aims for 90% of financial transactions across the public and private sectors to be cashless by the end of 2026. The service operates under the regulatory framework established by the Central Bank of the UAE, with Crypto.com becoming the first virtual asset service provider in the country to receive a Stored Value Facilities licence from the central bank.