Emirates has launched Crypto.com Pay across its website and mobile app, allowing eligible UAE residents to use digital assets when booking flights priced in Emirati dirhams.

Customers with a Crypto.com account can now select Crypto.com Pay at checkout. Transactions are processed through Crypto.com’s Dubai entity and settled in AED, so Emirates does not hold cryptocurrency or absorb price volatility.

Mobile users are redirected from the Emirates app to Crypto.com to approve the payment before returning for their confirmation and electronic ticket. Customers booking through the Emirates website receive a QR code that can be scanned and approved inside the Crypto.com app.

The airline has not published a fixed list of supported digital assets, payment limits or additional charges. Access is currently restricted to eligible UAE residents making AED-denominated bookings, which keeps the service tied to the market where the regulatory and payment infrastructure is already in place.

July 2025 Agreement Reaches Checkout

The launch completes the Crypto.com Pay integration announced by Emirates in July 2025. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to explore crypto checkout and promotional campaigns, targeting implementation during 2026.

Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim said the rollout expands payment choice for younger customers who manage travel and finances through mobile devices. He also pointed to the one-year move from agreement to launch as evidence of the regulatory environment supporting payment innovation in the UAE.

Crypto.com President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Anziani called the Emirates integration a milestone for the company’s payment product. Crypto.com Pay handles the customer-facing crypto transaction while the airline receives settlement through regulated local payment infrastructure.

UAE Licence Supports Wider Payment Push

Crypto.com’s UAE subsidiary became the first virtual asset service provider to receive a Stored Value Facilities licence from the Central Bank of the UAE. The approval created the regulated payment route needed for integrations with Emirates, Dubai Duty Free and government services.

The licence previously opened Crypto.com payments for UAE government fees, where customer digital assets are converted and transferred to public entities in dirhams.

Emirates’ rollout also fits alongside the Dubai Cashless Strategy, which targets digital processing for 90% of financial transactions across the public and private sectors by the end of 2026. Crypto.com has separately worked with Dubai Finance on government payments, while Emarat began preparing crypto payment services at UAE fuel stations.

Crypto.com Pay became available for eligible Emirates bookings on July 28, with no timetable announced for expansion beyond the UAE.