Dubai is on track to become a cashless city
Dubai is shaping a future where paying without cash is the norm. A new long-term plan aims to make digital payments the preferred way to pay across Dubai, from government services to everyday shopping and everything in between.
The goal? To significantly reduce the use of notes and coins and move towards a more seamless, digital-first payment system.
How will Dubai go cashless?
Dubai will move payments across both government and private sectors onto digital platforms. Instead of using notes and coins, residents and visitors will pay with cards, banking apps and other electronic payment methods.
First announced in late 2024, the initiative is part of Dubai’s wider push to modernise financial services and make everyday payments faster and more convenient. The goal is for digital payments to dominate across the emirate, with around 90% of transactions expected to be cashless, a move that could add billions of dirhams to the local economy each year.
Also read: Dubai to go (almost) completely cashless by 2026
Does this mean cash will disappear?
Not entirely. While cash use will reduce dramatically, it won’t be eliminated altogether. Instead, digital payments will become the default option, offering faster, more convenient ways to pay.
At present, credit and debit cards, along with mobile banking apps, are leading the way and more options are set to be introduced.
Smarter ways to pay are coming
The strategy also places a strong focus on innovation. Dubai plans to expand the use of contactless payments and introduce more advanced financial technologies, including AI-powered solutions, to make paying even easier.
When will this happen?
Dubai Cashless Strategy
90% of all financial transactions across the public and private sectors in Dubai will be cashless by the end of 2026 pic.twitter.com/Cxp1wwCCWf
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) January 6, 2026
Image: What’s On Archive
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