Emirates Airline To Accept Bitcoin As Payment, Explores NFTs & Metaverse
Emirates airline is reportedly planning to add Bitcoin as a payment service, and continues to explore NFTs and metaverse.
Dubai-based airline Emirates will employ bitcoin as a payment service as part of a push toward embracing blockchain and metaverse projects, according to a report from Arab News.
According to Emirates’ COO, Adel Ahmed Al-Redha, the airline will be hiring up staff to work on metaverse and NFT-related projects and focusing on Bitcoin payments.
Having previously discussed exploring NFTs and metaverse experiences, this is first time Emirates has publicly mentioned plans for Bitcoin payments. According to a press release in April, the airline would turn a pavilion it had built for the Expo 2020 event into an innovation center, with a focus on building out new, tech-focused projects including metaverse, Web3 and NFT initiatives.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) is focused on positioning itself as a global crypto hub. Dubai recently created a new agency focused on virtual asset regulation and overseeing the UAE’s licensing regime for crypto companies.
Emirates’ acceptance of Bitcoin as a payment method would be a significant milestone for the airline industry, as it would be the largest global airline directly accepting cryptocurrencies. While some airlines, such as Air Baltic, have adopted cryptocurrencies as a payment method, the practice is still relatively uncommon among major carriers.
NFTs and Metaverse
Emirates will also add NFT collectibles on its website for trading. As such, the airliner, headquartered in Dubai, noted that it will onboard new staff for metaverse and NFTs.
Adel Ahmed Al-Redha, the Chief Operating Officer, said the main objective behind the move is to build applications to keep a track of various client needs. He also explained that the airline will leverage blockchain technology to trace records of aircraft.
“With the metaverse, you will be able to transform your whole processes — whether it is in operation, training, sales on the website, or complete experience — into a metaverse type application, but more importantly making it interactive.”
