Emirates, Dubai-based airline, has entered into a preliminary deal with Crypto.com to launch the payment option of cryptocurrency to the customers. The agreement, announced by Emirates Group in July 9, 2025, is one of the first that paved the way of the mass adoption of digital currency in the travel industry.
The partnership means that travelers will be able to book and purchase via Crypto.com payment platform and full-scale acceleration is planned to be found in 2026. As Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim, explains, the initiative is aimed to capture the customers who are younger and tech-savvy and favor using digital currencies.
The decision follows the efforts of the UAE to establish itself as one of the crypto centers in the world. In the recent years, the country has facilitated the payment of cryptocurrency in some sections such as real estate, education and transportation. Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), the largest free zone in the city, currently boasts of having more than 650 crypto companies, a move that indicates that the city is highly supportive of crypto assets.
The Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) was created in 2022 in Dubai, which regulates the rapidly developing virtual asset sector in order to make it safe and compliant. The crypto-friendly program launched by Emirates corresponds with the long-term strategy of Dubai where the city wants to become one of the forerunners of future technologies.
Crypto payments are another area of venture by other airlines in the Gulf. In January this year, Air Arabia made the news when it stated it would accept the AE Coin, a UAE-backed stablecoin that uses the UAE dirham to pay the costs of any flights booking, which also showed the region to have a rising level of crypto adoption in aviation.
The collaboration with Crypto.com will complement the customer experiences of Emirates and make the airline stand at the center stage of digital-driven innovation in the traveling industry. With the growing curiosity of international travelers to alternative payment systems, Emirates currency payment assimilation can also become an international business climate pattern concerning the airline industry.
The crypto functionality will probably become available sometime in 2026, providing passengers with greater flexibility in paying their way through travels. Emirates.
Credit: Reuters
