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Emirates adds Crypto.com Pay checkout for UAE residents, letting travelers pay for tickets with digital assets as the airline posts record AED 19.7 bn profit
Emirates announced on July 28 2026 that it now accepts cryptocurrency payments for flight bookings through Crypto.com Pay, giving eligible UAE residents the option to settle tickets in dirhams via their digital wallets. The move aligns with Dubai’s push toward a cash‑less economy and comes as the airline reports its highest ever profit.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Launch date | July 28 2026 |
| Payment method | Crypto.com Pay (crypto → AED conversion) |
| Eligible users | UAE residents booking in AED |
| Catalyst | Partnership with Crypto.com, UAE regulatory approval |
Customers selecting Crypto.com Pay on the Emirates website or app are redirected to the Crypto.com app (mobile) or prompted to scan a QR code (desktop) to approve the payment. Crypto.com handles the conversion to UAE dirhams, and Emirates receives the fiat settlement, meaning the airline does not hold any cryptocurrency on its balance sheet [1][4].
Emirates, the world’s largest long‑haul carrier, posted a record profit of AED 19.7 bn (≈ $5.4 bn) for the financial year ended March 31 2026, up from previous years, on revenue of roughly $41 bn and 53.2 million passengers [1]. The crypto checkout arrives as Dubai’s “Cashless Strategy” under the D33 economic agenda targets 90 % of transactions to be digital by the end of 2026 [2][3]. Crypto.com’s UAE entity secured a Stored Value Facilities licence from the Central Bank of the UAE in May 2026, enabling it to process non‑bank digital wallet payments [3][4].
Emirates is the second airline in the UAE to offer crypto payments; Air Arabia introduced the dirham‑backed AE Coin stablecoin for bookings in May 2025 [3][4]. Etihad Airways has signaled interest in crypto payments, while Qatar Airways already allows crypto bookings through third‑party platforms [3]. The partnership with Crypto.com, which reported about $686 million of 24‑hour trading volume at the time of launch, positions Emirates to capture a “digitally affluent” traveler segment [4].
The integration demonstrates how a leading legacy carrier can adopt digital‑asset payments without exposing itself to crypto price risk, while testing the appetite of a younger, mobile‑first customer base in a market keen on fintech innovation.
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 4 outlets · Jul 30, 2026 · How we report
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