Dubai charities can accept crypto donations

• 30% of UAE residents own crypto
• Country among world’s most charitable
• 40 civil society groups in UAE

Charitable associations and institutions in Dubai will begin accepting donations via cryptocurrencies.

The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) made the announcement in mid-December.

IACAD will organise a series of workshops for participating charities to clarify procedures and operational requirements.

“This qualitative step reflects the Department’s commitment to fostering innovation in charitable work and enabling the sector to keep pace with global technological and financial developments,” an IACAD announcement said.

Local NGO Dubai Charity Association began accepting cryptocurrency donations in 2022, but IACAD’s announcement opens that possibility to all charities in Dubai.

The UAE has launched its own state cryptocurrency, the Digital Dirham, but IACAD’s announcement did not specify whether this would be used for charitable donations.

Roughly 30 percent of people in the UAE own cryptocurrencies, according to Singapore-based payment provider Triple A.

Dubai and the UAE more broadly are considered crypto-friendly destinations, with a growing number of businesses and government organizations exploring accepting cryptocurrencies as a mode of payment.

Further reading:

• UAE beats US on crypto rules, says CEO of Trump-backed site
• New tax rules may reshape UAE crypto landscape
• Solana is Middle East’s latest crypto craze

The UAE’s Ministry of Community Empowerment lists roughly 40 civil society organisations across the country, with many of them based in Dubai.

UAE residents are among the world’s most generous in terms of charitable donations, according to the Charities Aid Foundation and philanthropy organisation Circle’s World Giving Report 2025.

Nearly nine in 10 UAE respondents said they had given away money by any means in 2024, with their average donation being 1.94 percent of income – above the global average of 1.4 percent.