DUBAI: Emirates Airline has signed a preliminary deal with Crypto.com to enable passengers to pay for flights using the crypto trading platform’s payment service, its parent company announced on Wednesday.
The partnership is expected to launch next year. Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim, said the move is designed to attract “young, tech-savvy customers who prefer digital currencies.”
In recent years, the United Arab Emirates has emerged as a leading hub for cryptocurrency companies. Many firms have established or expanded operations there, with crypto payments already accepted in sectors such as real estate, education fees, and transportation.
To regulate this growing sector, Dubai established the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in 2022. The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), one of the city’s largest free zones, now hosts more than 650 crypto firms.
Other airlines in the region have also embraced cryptocurrency payments. In May, Dubai-listed Air Arabia announced it would accept AE Coin, a stablecoin backed by the UAE dirham, for flight bookings.
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