Eligible UAE residents can now use Crypto.com Pay when shopping at Dubai Duty Free stores at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport, as well as through its website.
Dubai Duty Free has become the first airport retailer in the Middle East to introduce the regulated digital payment option, giving eligible customers another way to complete purchases in stores and online.
Payments are authorised through the customer’s Crypto.com account, while Dubai Duty Free receives the transaction amount in UAE dirhams through Crypto.com’s regulated payment infrastructure.
Customers selecting Crypto.com Pay at a Dubai Duty Free checkout will receive a unique QR code linked to the purchase amount in dirhams.
The customer can scan the code using the Crypto.com App and approve the payment directly from their wallet. Once authorised, the transaction is confirmed through Dubai Duty Free’s existing point-of-sale system.
Customers using a mobile device for online purchases will be redirected to the Crypto.com App to review and approve the transaction before returning to Dubai Duty Free to complete the order.
Desktop shoppers can select Crypto.com Pay during checkout, scan the generated QR code through the app and confirm the payment from their wallet.
The service is available exclusively to eligible UAE residents through Crypto.com’s regulated payment platform.
The launch follows a memorandum of understanding signed by Dubai Duty Free and Crypto.com in July 2025 to explore blockchain-enabled payments and other digital initiatives across the retailer’s operations.
Crypto.com processes each transaction through its regulated payment system, with Dubai Duty Free receiving immediate settlement in UAE dirhams.
Crypto.com is the first Virtual Asset Service Provider in the UAE to receive a Stored Value Facilities licence from the Central Bank of the UAE, allowing it to provide regulated payment services under the conditions of the licence.
Crypto.com Pay joins payment options already available through Dubai Duty Free, including Apple Pay, Alipay and TerraPay.
