Emirates adds Crypto.com Pay for UAE dirham bookings

Emirates has enabled Crypto.com Pay on its website and mobile app for eligible UAE residents booking flights priced and settled in Emirati dirhams. The feature was activated in 2026 and appears in the carrier’s checkout options on emirates.com and the Emirates App.

Customers with a Crypto.com account can select Crypto.com Pay at checkout. Mobile users are redirected to the Crypto.com app to approve the payment and then return to the Emirates App to receive booking confirmation and an electronic ticket. Desktop users select the option, scan a QR code shown on the site, approve the transaction in the Crypto.com app and receive tickets once the payment is authorized. Transactions are processed through Crypto.com’s Dubai entity and follow UAE electronic payments rules.

Crypto.com’s Dubai unit operates under the Central Bank of the UAE’s Stored Value Facilities framework. The companies described that entity as the first virtual asset service provider to receive a Stored Value Facilities license from the central bank, enabling the firm to provide payment infrastructure for the integration.

Emirates and Crypto.com signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2025. The service moved from agreement to live product in under a year. The carrier has limited the offering to UAE residents making bookings denominated and settled in Emirati dirhams. Availability for non-resident customers, other currencies or markets outside the UAE has not been announced; any expansion will require regulatory approvals, currency settlement arrangements and Emirates’ assessment of demand.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ deputy president and chief commercial officer, noted, “Bringing this initiative to life delivers on our commitment to expanding customer choice in how they pay for travel,” and highlighted the speed of implementation. Eric Anziani, president and chief operating officer of Crypto.com, described the integration as “a milestone for the company’s payment product” and said the partnership reflected the UAE’s approach to financial innovation.

The launch is part of Dubai’s Digital Payments strategy under the D33 Economic Agenda, which aims to process 90% of transactions digitally across government and private sectors by the end of 2026. Emirates has a separate partnership with Dubai Finance to advance electronic payments, and Crypto.com has partnered with Dubai Finance to enable digital payments for government services.

For customers who hold funds within the Crypto.com ecosystem, the integration may reduce steps at checkout compared with using conventional card payments. For now, eligible UAE residents can use Crypto.com Pay on emirates.com and the Emirates App for bookings priced and settled in Emirati dirhams.