Cashless Dubai: 90% of transactions to be cashless by the end of 2026

Dubai has unveiled the Cashless Dubai strategy: by the end of 2026, up to 90% of all financial transactions — across both government services and the private sector — should take place without cash. Cash remains legal tender: this is about displacement from everyday circulation, not prohibition.

What the strategy contains

• Primary payment methods — banking apps, cards, contactless and digital solutions.
• Tooling development: AI-enabled solutions, contactless payments and new fintech platforms.
• Government services and visa fees moving progressively into digital form.
• Dedicated initiatives with major airlines so that cashless payment becomes routine for tourists too.
• The goal — a place among the world's top five cashless cities.

Estimates suggest a mass shift to cashless payments could add several billion dirhams to the emirate's economy annually through efficiency gains and fintech sector growth.

What it means for a property owner

The most practical consequence is transparency in rental settlements. Rent in Dubai has historically been paid by cheque, and the cheque carried its own layer of risk: it must be physically collected, taken to a bank, and hoped not to bounce. Moving settlements into digital form removes that layer and makes a tenant's payment history verifiable.

The second consequence is for short-term landlords. The tourist segment runs on payment convenience, and the city is deliberately taking it to a point where cash is not needed at all. That removes friction which previously cost owners a share of their bookings.

Context

Cashless Dubai sits alongside the UAE Central Bank's biometric payment pilot, crypto acceptance in retail and e-invoicing for business. These are one programme seen from different angles: the state is moving monetary circulation into an environment where every transaction is visible and verifiable. For an honest market participant that means lower costs; for the rest, a narrowing space.

Based on official Cashless Dubai strategy materials.