9 October 2026
Dubai has reached the main target of its cashless strategy ahead of schedule: 90.1% of transactions in the emirate are now cashless, against a 90% goal set for 2026. The final report, presented by Dubai Finance (DOF) to the Dubai Strategic Affairs Council and announced on 9 October 2026, says cashless payment initiatives contributed more than AED 8 billion to the economy of Dubai. Digital payment methods are now available across all government entities (a Digital Enablement Index of 100%), and 99.66% of government collections in the first half of 2026 were made without cash. Merchant acceptance of digital payments rose from 81% to 91%.
What Dubai Finance reported
The Dubai Cashless Strategy was launched in October 2024 by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. It was designed as a two-year programme with 2026 targets. According to the final report, the key targets were exceeded before that period ended.
The results were published by the Government of Dubai Media Office and the Emirates News Agency (WAM) and reported by Gulf News. The main figures against the targets look as follows.
| Indicator | 2026 target | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Cashless transactions index, Dubai | 90% | 90.1% |
| Community happiness index | 90% | 90.1% |
| Digital Enablement Index, government sector | Not published | 100% |
| Government cashless collections, H1 2026 | Not published | 99.66% |
| Economic contribution of cashless initiatives | Not published | More than AED 8 billion |
The strategic roadmap is built on three pillars. Dubai Finance reports achievement of 97% in governance, 95% in society and 93% in innovation. More than 70 strategic partnerships were signed with government entities and private companies, and the strategy accelerators reached 95% completion in the first half of 2026.
Government payments are now almost entirely digital
The government sector shows the strongest numbers. A Digital Enablement Index of 100% means that digital payment methods are available across government institutions. In the first half of 2026, 99.66% of government collections in Dubai were cashless, so cash accounted for just 0.34%.
Several Dubai government bodies commented on the results, including the Department of Economy and Tourism, Digital Dubai, GDRFA Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Chambers. The Director General of GDRFA Dubai linked the payments system to identity, residency and border services, and the RTA described digital payments as a key enabler of its mobility services.
How payment habits changed for merchants, tourists and workers
A second release from the Government of Dubai Media Office gives the impact by target group. The largest move was on the merchant side: the share of merchants accepting digital payments went up by 10 percentage points.
| Indicator | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Merchants accepting digital payments | 81% | 91% |
| Cash usage among tourists | 24% | 22% |
| Cash usage among workers | 44% | 40% |
| Digital payment satisfaction among SMEs | 90% | 91% |
| Satisfaction among workers | 75% | 83% |
| Satisfaction among tourists | 81% | 86% |
The figures show that cash has not disappeared in every group. Workers still use cash for 40% of payments, nearly twice the level among tourists, and this is one of the groups the next phase of awareness campaigns is aimed at.
How the cashless index is measured
The cashless transactions index draws on several sources: data from the Central Bank of the UAE, Transguard, payment acquirers, international payment networks, Dubai Finance and relevant Dubai government entities. The combination of bank, card network, acquirer and cash logistics data gives a picture of both electronic and cash flows in the emirate.
The strategy is backed by financial institutions and payment companies in two sponsorship categories. The Principal Sponsors are Dubai Islamic Bank and NEO PAY, and the Gold Sponsors include Emirates NBD, Visa and noqodi. Tabby and Tamara are listed as flexible payment options, and the supporting entities include e& money, du Pay, BOTIM and Al Ansari Financial Services. NEO PAY has been active in the market this autumn as well: we covered its deal for a 65% stake in noon payments.
What comes next
Dubai Finance says the next phase will focus on sustaining the results, expanding digital solutions and deepening partnerships with the government and private sectors. The Digital Payment Systems Regulatory Division at DOF named the specific workstreams:
- raising digital enablement across the government and private sectors;
- activating Jaywan, the UAE domestic card scheme, and Aani, the instant payments platform;
- expanding acceptance of global digital wallets;
- developing digital instalment solutions;
- enabling the digital dirham in cooperation with the Central Bank of the UAE;
- awareness campaigns and workshops for tourists, workers, SMEs and other groups.
No dates were given for these steps in the release, so they should be read as the direction of the next phase rather than as new rules.
What this means for companies in Dubai
The report does not introduce new obligations, fees or deadlines for businesses. It does describe the environment a company works in today. Government fees in Dubai are collected almost entirely through digital channels, nine merchants out of ten accept digital payments, and customers, including tourists, pay in cash less and less.
For a new company, this makes the payment side of the business part of the setup plan. A corporate account, a card for government and supplier payments, and a way to accept payments from clients (a POS terminal, payment links or an online gateway) are needed early. Banks review the expected transaction profile when they open an account, including how much cash the business plans to handle. Our guide to opening a bank account in the UAE explains what banks ask for and how long the review takes.
Before launch, it helps to check the following:
- a corporate bank account opened in the name of the licensed company;
- a corporate card or online banking access for licence, visa and other government payments;
- a payment acceptance method that suits the business: terminal, payment link or e-commerce gateway;
- a realistic forecast of cash and card turnover for the bank KYC form;
- accounting that captures card and wallet receipts together with bank statements.
How Atlant Capital can help
We handle company setup in Dubai and the UAE from choosing the free zone or mainland licence to the first visas. We also prepare the documents for corporate bank account opening, so that the activity, the expected payment flows and the share of cash are described clearly from the start, which speeds up the bank review.
Conclusion
Dubai reached a cashless transactions index of 90.1% against a 2026 target of 90%, and Dubai Finance estimates the contribution of cashless initiatives to the economy of the emirate at more than AED 8 billion. Government collections were 99.66% cashless in the first half of 2026, and merchant acceptance of digital payments rose to 91%. The next phase covers Jaywan, Aani, global digital wallets, digital instalments and the digital dirham, without dates announced yet.
Source: Gulf News, Government of Dubai Media Office.
FAQ
What share of payments in Dubai is cashless in 2026?
According to the final report of the Dubai Cashless Strategy, announced by Dubai Finance on 9 October 2026, the cashless transactions index in Dubai reached 90.1%. The target for 2026 was 90%, so the goal was exceeded ahead of schedule.
What is the Dubai Cashless Strategy?
It is a two-year programme launched in October 2024 by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and run by Dubai Finance. It aims to move payments in the emirate from cash to digital methods through partnerships with government entities, banks, payment providers and fintech companies. Dubai Finance says its initiatives contributed more than AED 8 billion to the economy of Dubai.
Can government fees in Dubai still be paid in cash?
The report says digital payment methods are available across all Dubai government entities, with a Digital Enablement Index of 100%. In the first half of 2026, 99.66% of government collections were cashless. In practice, companies and residents should plan to pay government fees by card or other digital channels.
What changes next in Dubai digital payments?
Dubai Finance named the next workstreams: activating the Jaywan domestic card scheme and the Aani instant payments platform, wider acceptance of global digital wallets, digital instalment solutions and enabling the digital dirham with the Central Bank of the UAE. No dates for these steps were announced in the release.
