DDSC and Network International have started a retail pilot in the UAE that lets shoppers pay with a dirham-backed stablecoin at existing point-of-sale terminals. The test began at the Marks & Spencer branch in Al-Futtaim’s Dubai Festival City and at LuLu Hypermarket in Abu Dhabi’s Khalidiyah Mall, according to a Sept. 9 press release.
How the checkout works
Customers with a supported wallet can choose DDSC when they pay. The terminal then shows a QR code, which the shopper scans with the wallet. Network International’s acceptance system sends confirmation to the merchant after the transaction clears. There is no separate checkout machine to install, which matters because merchants can keep using the same payment setup they already have.
Settlement terms depend on what each merchant agrees to. Shops can receive DDSC directly into a supported wallet, or they can settle in UAE dirhams. That choice could make stablecoin payments easier for retailers that want crypto exposure and for those that simply want local currency at the end of the day.
What DDSC is
DDSC is pegged 1:1 to the UAE dirham and runs on ADI Chain. It was developed with International Holding Company, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Sirius International Holding. The stablecoin launched earlier this year after approval and licensing from the Central Bank of the UAE. It operates under the central bank’s Payment Token Services Regulation and is backed by a segregated reserve of assets.
The pilot moves DDSC from blockchain settlement infrastructure into physical stores. That is a smaller step than full national adoption, but it is still a notable test. Network International says it plans to expand DDSC acceptance across its UAE merchant network after testing is finished. The company works with more than 240,000 merchants and over 250 financial institutions across more than 50 countries.
Retail stablecoin payments gain ground
The test comes as regulated stablecoins and crypto payment options reach more payment channels in the UAE. In May, AE Coin and USD Universal introduced a conversion rail linking the dirham-backed AE Coin with USDU, a U.S. dollar-backed payment token. Emirates also added crypto payments for flights in July through Crypto.com Pay, though bookings are still priced and settled in dirhams.
Network International has not given a timeline for expanding beyond the first locations. For now, the DDSC pilot is limited to selected retailers. If it works, it could give merchants another way to accept payments without changing their terminals. The early signs suggest the UAE is testing how regulated stablecoins fit into everyday commerce rather than treating them only as trading assets.
