Eligible Dubai Duty Free customers can now pay for their purchases using cryptocurrency through the Crypto.com Pay service.

This method has been activated at Dubai Duty Free stores in Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport, as well as the retailer's online store. Dubai Duty Free stated it is the first airport retailer in the Middle East to offer this regulated digital payment solution.

For in-person purchases, after selecting the Crypto.com Pay option, the point-of-sale terminal generates a unique QR code based on the purchase amount in UAE Dirhams. The customer scans the code with the Crypto.com app and confirms the payment from their wallet. Once the transaction is confirmed, the purchase is immediately recorded in the store's system.

For online shopping, customers can select this option during checkout. Mobile users are redirected directly to the Crypto.com app after choosing the payment method to review and confirm transaction details.

Although the customer pays with digital assets, Dubai Duty Free receives the transaction amount immediately in UAE Dirhams; therefore, the retailer is not directly exposed to cryptocurrency price volatility. Transaction processing is handled through Crypto.com's regulated payment infrastructure.

Crypto.com announced in May 2026 that its UAE entity received a Stored Value Facilities license from the Central Bank of the UAE; a license that enables the provision of certain regulated payment services, including the partnership with Dubai Duty Free.

Cryptocurrency payments are offered alongside existing options such as Apple Pay, Alipay, and TerraPay, and are cited as part of Dubai's move toward increasing the share of cashless transactions.