Dubai Duty Free has activated Crypto.com Pay, becoming the first airport retailer in the Middle East to offer the regulated digital payment option. Eligible UAE residents can now pay with crypto at Dubai Duty Free stores in Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport, as well as online at dubaidutyfree.com. All merchant settlements are made in UAE dirhams.
The launch fulfils a memorandum of understanding signed with Crypto.com in July 2025. Customers select Crypto.com Pay at checkout, scan a QR code generated by the point-of-sale system, and approve the transaction in the Crypto.com app. Dubai Duty Free receives settlement in AED through Crypto.com’s regulated payment infrastructure.
Crypto.com’s Dubai entity was the first Virtual Asset Service Provider to receive a Stored Value Facilities licence from the Central Bank of the UAE, enabling it to process these regulated payments. The same licence underpinned Emirates’ earlier introduction of Crypto.com Pay for flight bookings by eligible UAE residents.
The move supports Dubai’s Cashless Strategy under the D33 Economic Agenda, which targets 90% of public and private financial transactions becoming digital by the end of 2026. Dubai Duty Free already offers Apple Pay, Alipay and TerraPay; Crypto.com Pay adds another channel aimed at digitally native customers.
Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, said the integration provides greater convenience through innovative digital payment solutions. Crypto.com President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Anziani described the retailer as one of the world’s most recognised travel retail brands.
Availability is limited to eligible UAE residents, and the merchant never holds crypto. The practical impact will depend on how many shoppers already use Crypto.com wallets and choose the option at the busy airport terminals. For now, the launch places Dubai Duty Free at the front of regulated crypto acceptance in Middle East airport retail.
