Emirates Airlines Soars Into Crypto: Partners With Crypto.com to Accept Bitcoin & Digital Payments

Sky-high adoption: Emirates just plugged into the crypto economy.

The Dubai-based aviation giant announced a partnership with Crypto.com—clearing the runway for Bitcoin and other digital asset payments. No more fiat turbulence for high-net-worth travelers.

Why it matters: 30+ million annual passengers now get a seamless Web3 boarding pass. Mile-high club meets decentralized finance.

The fine print: While Emirates joins Qatar Airways in crypto adoption, skeptics whisper about speculative fuel surcharges. Because nothing says 'financial revolution' like paying $10,000 in ETH for an aisle seat.

Final approach: This move accelerates crypto's thrust into mainstream commerce—proving even legacy industries won't miss the blockchain flight.

Pay for flights using $BTC, $ETH, $CRO — Dubai isn’t just talking Web3, they’re building it

Here’s why this is a MASSIVE deal

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— Keyur Rohit (@CryptoKingKeyur) July 9, 2025

This integration is scheduled for the last quarter of 2025. It will be implemented in phases. Furthermore, all crypto payments will be converted to UAE Dirhams (AED) at the point of transaction.

“Partnering with Crypto.com to integrate cryptocurrency into our digital payments system reflects Emirates’ commitment to meeting evolving customer preferences, in addition to tapping into younger, tech-savvy customer segments who prefer digital currencies,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer.

Eric Anziani, President and COO of Crypto.com said through a company press release, “As we continue to expand the everyday use case for crypto, integration with exceptional partners such as Emirates will bring real momentum to the digital asset industry and enable both companies to offer genuine innovative finance solutions for our customers.”

Top Level Government Support For Emirates Airlines-Crypto.com Alliance

The  partnership involving the largest airlines of the Middle East was established in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO, Emirates Airline and Michael Doersam, Emirates’ Chief Financial and Group Services Officer.

“This strategic MOVE is in line with Dubai’s vision to be at the forefront of financial innovation while at the same time providing our customers with greater flexibility and choice in how they transact with Emirates,” added Kazim.

Meanwhile, Crypto.com has been focused on the UAE for a while now. In March 2025, the company announced receiving a limited licence by Dubai’s VIRTUAL Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to offer derivatives in the UAE. The company is strengthening its presence in the regions. Crypto.com already has the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) license to operate in the UAE.

“This strategic move is in line with Dubai’s vision to be at the forefront of financial innovation”

Dubai has emerged as a leader in digital asset innovation. Interestingly, the regulatory clarity and pro-innovation stance attracted hundreds of crypto companies.

Tether, the issuer of stablecoin announced their partnership with Reelly Tech, a B2B real estate aggregator. The partnership will allow investors in the UAE to make payments for real estate with USDT. The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) recently approved Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin for use within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

furthermore, the UAE’s international financial center, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), has entered into a strategic alliance with chainlink crypto, a blockchain oracle solutions provider, to advance blockchain innovation and regulatory frameworks.

Through this collaboration, both ADGM and LINK ▲2.17% hope to establish global standards for blockchain practices, develop compliant tokenization frameworks, and enhance the utility of tokenized assets.

Key Takeaways

• Emirates and Crypto.com have agreed to integrate Crypto.com Pay into Emirates’ payment infrastructure. Customers will be able to pay for flights and services using supported cryptocurrencies via Crypto.com Pay.

• Dubai has emerged as a leader in digital asset innovation. The regulatory clarity and pro-innovation stance attracted hundreds of crypto companies.