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Emirates has started accepting cryptocurrency payments for flight bookings through Crypto.com Pay. UAE residents who qualify can choose the option on the Emirates website or mobile app. Tickets are still priced and settled in UAE dirhams.
The launch makes Emirates the first major Gulf airline to accept digital assets directly for flight bookings. Customers must have a Crypto.com account, although Emirates and Crypto.com have not published a full list of the cryptocurrencies supported by the service.
Crypto.com Pay Goes Live on Emirates Bookings
Customers using the Emirates mobile app are sent to the Crypto.com app to approve the payment from their wallet. They are then returned to the Emirates app, where they receive their booking confirmation and electronic ticket.
Customers booking through the Emirates website can select Crypto.com Pay during checkout. A QR code appears on the screen, which they scan and approve through the Crypto.com app before the ticket is issued.
The option is currently limited to eligible UAE residents and bookings settled in dirhams. Crypto.com handles the crypto payment, while the final transaction is completed through the UAE’s regulated payment system.
Emirates Targets Mobile-First Travelers
Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim said:
“Bringing this initiative to life delivers on our commitment to expanding customer choice in how they pay for travel.”
Emirates and Crypto.com first announced plans to explore the payment integration in July 2025. The service launched less than a year later after Crypto.com received the required approval in the UAE.
UAE License Enables Crypto Payment Services
Crypto.com’s UAE business, Foris DAX Middle East, received a Stored Value Facilities license from the Central Bank of the UAE in May. It became the first virtual asset service provider in the country to receive that licence.
The approval allows Crypto.com to offer regulated digital asset payment services. Transactions can be settled in dirhams or approved Dirham-backed stablecoins. The license also allowed Crypto.com to launch the Emirates payment service and pursue other payment partnerships in Dubai.
