People in the UAE may soon have a new way to pay rent. Industry leaders say tenants could use stablecoins instead of post-dated cheques within the next six to nine months. They believe the technology is ready. The main task now is bringing the right groups together.
Bobby Zhou, co-founder of Aqua Labs Investment, shared this view during a digital asset event in Abu Dhabi. He said stablecoin payments for rent are much closer than many people think. He explained that developers, property agents, and building management companies only need to work together to make the system available.
Many renters in the UAE still pay landlords with several post-dated cheques at the start of a lease. Zhou said stablecoins could offer a faster and easier option. He believes the change could happen before the end of 2026 if key organisations work together.
Stablecoins are digital currencies that keep a fixed value by linking to a traditional currency such as the UAE dirham or the US dollar. This makes them less volatile than many other cryptocurrencies. They are becoming more popular for payments because they offer quick transfers and lower costs.
Zhou also said stablecoins are already proving useful in global commodities trading. He explained that blockchain payments can settle transactions in minutes instead of taking several days through traditional banking systems. He added that transfer fees can fall from about $25 to only a few cents. He expects wider use in commodity trading by 2028, although faster growth is possible.
The event also highlighted new partnerships that support digital payments. Safeheron and UPay signed a preliminary agreement to connect secure digital wallets with crypto payment services. The partnership aims to make it easier for users to spend digital assets in everyday life.
UPay chief executive Owen Yang said customers will be able to use their digital assets for shopping, cash withdrawals, and payment services once the agreement becomes active. The platform supports major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, and several stablecoins.
Yang said one important feature is still waiting for approval in the UAE. Direct bank transfers from crypto balances already work in some international markets. However, the company is still waiting for a local licence before offering the same service in the UAE.
Recent market data also points to strong growth in digital asset use across the country. The UAE received more than $53 billion in cryptocurrency transactions during the year ending in June 2025. This marked a 33 percent increase compared with the previous year. The country became the second-largest crypto market in the Middle East and North Africa after Turkey.
Research also shows that large institutional transactions now account for much of the country’s crypto activity. At the same time, smaller payments made through merchants are growing even faster. This suggests that digital assets are moving beyond investment and becoming useful for daily purchases by consumers and businesses.
The UAE has spent several years building rules for digital assets. The Central Bank began its digital currency strategy in 2023. During 2024, it introduced a framework for stablecoins. Financial regulators in Abu Dhabi and Dubai also created rules to support the wider crypto industry.
The country’s first regulated stablecoin received final approval in late 2024. Another major stablecoin project also gained permission to develop a local version in 2025. Officials now say the regulatory framework is almost complete. They believe the UAE has created one of the world’s most advanced systems for stablecoin regulation.
Even with strong regulations, banks remain careful. Some lenders still have concerns about financial crime controls and how digital assets should appear on their balance sheets. Experts believe banking support is one of the final steps before stablecoins become widely used.
The new system has already handled large financial transactions. A dirham-backed stablecoin known as DDSC has processed more than Dh150 million since launch. It recently completed one of the region’s largest stablecoin settlements worth Dh110 million. The token is now also approved for retail payments, allowing people to use it for shopping and person-to-person transfers.
Artificial intelligence is also expected to increase demand for blockchain payments. Industry leaders say AI systems could complete many more transactions than humans every day. They believe blockchain networks will be better suited to handle this growing payment activity because they can process transfers quickly and securely.
Experts say the combination of stablecoins, clear regulations, and new payment technology could change how people and businesses manage money in the UAE over the next year.
