Dubai’s Department of Finance (DOF) has signed an agreement with Crypto.com to enable cryptocurrency payments for government services, marking the first government-wide integration of digital asset payments in the emirate.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed during the Dubai FinTech Summit, will allow users to pay government fees through stable cryptocurrencies via Crypto.com’s digital wallet. Payments will be converted into dirhams and settled in DOF accounts.
The agreement supports the Dubai Cashless Strategy, which targets 90% of transactions in the emirate to be cashless by 2026. The strategy is aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to position the city among the top four global financial centres by 2033.
The MoU was signed by Ahmad Ali Meftah, Executive Director of the Central Accounts Sector at DOF, and Mohammed Al Hakim, President of Crypto.com UAE. The deal was finalised in the presence of Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary-General of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh, Director-General of DOF.
Once implemented, the initiative will enable residents and businesses to use digital currencies to pay for various government services, including licensing, permits, and administrative fees. The payment process will be executed through Crypto.com’s platform, which will handle real-time conversion and remittance to the DOF.
The partnership is part of broader efforts to develop Dubai’s fintech infrastructure and attract investment in blockchain and digital asset services. The government expects the shift to cashless payments to contribute Dh8 billion annually to the economy.
Crypto.com, which is licensed by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), will work with Dubai Finance on technical integration and compliance. The DFSA and Digital Dubai are also involved in building a regulatory environment for secure digital payments.
The announcement adds to a series of digital transformation initiatives in Dubai aimed at streamlining public services, modernising payment systems, and positioning the city as a global hub for financial technology.
