Airline giant Emirates to accept Bitcoin and crypto payments for flights, services

Key Takeaways

Emirates will enable customers to pay for flights and services using cryptocurrencies starting next year.
The partnership with Crypto.com aligns with Dubai’s strategy to become a global crypto hub.

Crypto.com, one of the earliest players in the crypto space, has struck a deal with Emirates, one of the world’s most renowned airlines, in a bid to bring crypto payments to mainstream global travel, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

As part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on July 9, the parties will explore the integration of Crypto.com Pay into Emirates’ global payments infrastructure, enabling millions of customers to pay for flights and other services using digital assets. The rollout is targeted for next year.

According to Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, the decision to integrate crypto into Emirates’ payment offerings reflects the company’s strategy to modernize its payment systems to meet customer expectations and reach younger, tech-savvy customers.

“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,” Kazim added.

The parties will also collaborate on marketing campaigns to drive awareness and adoption of the new payment solution.

“We’re delighted to complete the signing of this important MoU with Emirates Airline. 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,” said Eric Anziani, President and COO of Crypto.com, in a statement.

The initiative is still exploratory but signals serious interest in enabling digital asset payments. It also strengthens Dubai’s commitment to fostering a crypto-friendly environment.

With this move, Emirates, which serves 148 airports in 80 countries and territories from its hub in Dubai, joins other key industries such as real estate and telecommunications in embracing digital currency payments.

If successful, the move could pave the way for more crypto payment use cases in aviation and travel.