Abu Dhabi airports to accept Bitcoin and crypto payments through new fintech partnership

Abu Dhabi Airports has entered a three-way partnership with Al Hail Holding and fintech firm Xare to pilot crypto payment options at Zayed International Airport, aiming to let travellers pay with Bitcoin, stablecoins and other digital currencies. The memorandum of understanding was signed in October 2025 and the initiative is currently in a pilot phase with testing and operational planning under way. The project will operate under the regulatory framework of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and its Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA).

"The three-way collaboration between Abu Dhabi Airports, Al Hail Holding, and Xare is focused on deploying a regulated digital wallet alongside crypto payment rails for inbound travelers at Zayed International Airport," officials said in project materials.

Project details and regulatory footing

The pilot seeks to combine a regulated digital wallet with payment rails that accept a range of digital assets — from Bitcoin to fiat-pegged stablecoins — for purchases across airport merchants. Organisers emphasise that "the project falls under the regulatory umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Global Market and its Financial Services Regulatory Authority," signalling an intent to avoid the regulatory gray zones that have characterised some prior crypto payment experiments.

Zayed International Airport serves passengers arriving from dozens of countries, creating a complex multi-currency environment. Project proponents argue that stablecoins, which are pegged to fiat currencies such as the US dollar, could reduce friction at point of sale by minimizing foreign-exchange handling if merchant integration and settlement processes function as intended.

How the airport pilot fits into a wider UAE strategy

• Emirates Airlines has its own agreement with Crypto.com to integrate crypto payments, with a launch targeted for 2026, indicating parallel efforts by both the national carrier and the capital's primary airport.
• By aligning the airport pilot with ADGM/FSRA oversight, Abu Dhabi Airports and partners aim to deploy solutions that are compliant from day one rather than retrofitted to fit existing rules.

The pilot remains in testing, and no merchant acceptance lists or transaction volume figures have been disclosed. Organisers note that operational questions remain: merchant onboarding, wallet user experience, settlement timing and management of volatility for non-stablecoin transactions are all unresolved challenges in a high-throughput environment like an international airport.

Outlook

If pilot testing proves successful, the integration of regulated wallets and crypto payment rails at Zayed International Airport could create a smoother payments experience for inbound travellers and set procedural and compliance models for wider deployment across UAE transport hubs. However, the initiative's impact for investors and consumers will hinge on measurable outcomes: confirmed merchant acceptance, transaction volumes, settlement reliability and clear procedures for handling non-stablecoin volatility.

For now, Abu Dhabi Airports, Al Hail Holding and Xare are positioned to test whether a regulated, ADGM/FSRA-grounded approach can scale in a busy airport environment while complementing other industry moves — such as Emirates' planned Crypto.com integration — toward broader crypto payment acceptance in the UAE.