Emirates' Crypto.com Pay goes live

Middle East carrier Emirates has officially rolled out Crypto.com Pay on its website and mobile app, allowing eligible UAE residents to pay for flight bookings in Emirati Dirham (AED) using the digital payment service.

The launch follows the memorandum of understanding the airline signed with Crypto.com in July 2025 to explore integrating the payment feature into Emirates' booking systems. Customers with a Crypto.com account can now select Crypto.com Pay at checkout on emirates.com and in the Emirates App. Transactions are processed securely and in line with UAE regulatory standards, the airline said.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said the move expands payment choice for travellers and reflects the habits of a younger, digitally fluent generation that manages money and plans trips from their phones. Kazim noted that moving from a signed agreement to launch in under a year was helped by a regulatory environment that supports fintech innovation in the UAE and Dubai.

Eric Anziani, President and Chief Operating Officer of Crypto.com, called the Emirates partnership a milestone for the company's Pay feature and said it underscores the UAE's forward-thinking approach to innovation. The integration is powered by Crypto.com's Dubai entity, which became the first Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) to receive a Stored Value Facilities (SVF) licence from the Central Bank of the UAE.

How it works

On mobile, customers booking through the Emirates App are directed to the Crypto.com app to authorise payment from their wallet, then returned to the Emirates App to receive their booking confirmation and e-ticket. On desktop, customers select Crypto.com Pay at checkout, scan a QR code shown on the booking page, and approve the payment in the Crypto.com app before receiving confirmation and their e-ticket.

The launch supports the Dubai Cashless Strategy under the D33 Economic Agenda, which targets making 90% of financial transactions across government and private sectors digital by the end of 2026. It also builds on Emirates' earlier partnership with Dubai Finance to advance digital payments, and follows a separate Crypto.com collaboration with Dubai Finance for government services.