Overview
- Dubai Duty Free activated Crypto.com Pay across Dubai International, Al Maktoum and its online store on Wednesday, letting eligible UAE residents scan a Crypto.com app QR code to approve purchases.
- At checkout the point‑of‑sale or website generates a unique amount in AED, customers scan or are redirected to the Crypto.com app to authorise payment, and Dubai Duty Free receives immediate settlement in dirhams through Crypto.com’s regulated infrastructure.
- Crypto.com is the first Virtual Asset Service Provider in the UAE to hold a Central Bank Stored Value Facilities licence, which authorises fiat settlement and reduces merchant exposure to crypto price swings.
- The launch is the operational phase of a July 2025 MoU between Dubai Duty Free and Crypto.com, and the retailer says the move supports Dubai’s D33 cashless goal for 90% cashless transactions by the end of 2026.
- Availability is currently restricted to eligible UAE residents and key consumer details—such as which tokens are accepted, exact fees, and how refunds or chargebacks will be handled—have not been publicly disclosed, which will shape customer uptake and merchant experience.