Emirates launches Crypto.com Pay for flight bookings

Dubai: Emirates has launched Crypto.com Pay, enabling customers to pay for flight bookings through the airline's website and mobile application using the digital payment solution. The service is available to eligible UAE residents with a Crypto.com account, allowing them to pay for bookings priced and settled in UAE dirhams (AED). Transactions will be processed securely and in compliance with UAE regulatory requirements. The launch marks the implementation of a partnership announced in July 2025, when Emirates and Crypto.com signed a memorandum of understanding to explore integrating Crypto.com Pay into the airline's payment ecosystem. Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said the initiative expands payment options for customers while reflecting changing consumer preferences. “Bringing this initiative to life delivers on our commitment to expanding customer choice in how they pay for travel. It also reflects the rapidly evolving preferences of a younger, digitally fluent generation who manage their money and plan their journeys primarily from their phones and they expect the airlines they fly with to keep pace,” he said. “Moving from signature to launch with Crypto.com in under a year is a credit to both teams, and to a regulatory environment that makes this kind of innovation possible, reflecting the UAE's and Dubai's ambition to lead in fintech and the digital economy.” Eric Anziani, President and Chief Operating Officer of Crypto.com, described the partnership as an important milestone for the company. “Partnering with Emirates is a milestone for Crypto.com and our Pay feature, which is renowned for its ease of use and seamless integration,” he said. “This collaboration is a testament to the UAE's forward-thinking approach to innovation, and we're proud to support Emirates as it embraces the digital payments space.” The integration is powered by Crypto.com's Dubai entity, which became the first Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) to receive a Stored Value Facilities (SVF) licence from the Central Bank of the UAE. How the payment process works Customers selecting Crypto.com Pay at checkout can complete transactions through the Crypto.com app. Mobile bookings: Customers booking through the Emirates app are redirected to the Crypto.com app to authorise payment before returning to the Emirates app to receive their booking confirmation and e-ticket. Desktop bookings: Customers booking via emirates.com can select Crypto.com Pay, scan a QR code displayed at checkout using the Crypto.com app and approve the payment. Once completed, the booking confirmation and e-ticket are issued. The launch supports the Dubai Cashless Strategy under the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to make 90% of all financial transactions across the government and private sectors digital by the end of 2026. It also builds on Emirates' digital payments partnership with Dubai Finance and follows Crypto.com's collaboration with Dubai Finance to facilitate digital payments for government services.