DDSC and Network International Launch UAE’s First In-Store AED Stablecoin Pilot

DDSC, the first UAE dirham-backed stablecoin licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), has partnered with Network International to test stablecoin payments at physical retail locations in the UAE.

The pilot allows customers using DDSC-supported wallets to pay with the AED-backed stablecoin through Network International’s existing point-of-sale (POS) infrastructure. The trials took place at a Marks & Spencer branch at Dubai Festival City and a LuLu Hypermarket at Khalidiyah Mall in Abu Dhabi.

The initiative brings regulated stablecoin payments into an existing retail checkout environment rather than requiring merchants to deploy separate payment infrastructure.

How the DDSC Payments Work

The payment process uses a QR-based flow. At checkout, the Network International POS terminal displays a QR code, which customers scan through a DDSC-supported wallet.

Once the transaction is confirmed, the merchant receives payment through Network International’s existing acceptance infrastructure. Settlement can be made in DDSC, transferred to a DDSC-supported merchant wallet, or converted into UAE dirhams.

For merchants, the pilot is designed to add stablecoin payments alongside existing payment methods while using the infrastructure already deployed across their retail operations.

Network International said that, following the testing phase, it plans to expand DDSC acceptance across its UAE merchant network.

DDSC's Role in UAE Digital Payments

DDSC is developed through a collaboration between International Holding Company (IHC), First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), and Sirius International Holding. The stablecoin is pegged 1:1 to the UAE dirham and settles on ADI Chain.

The retail pilot adds a consumer-facing use case to the stablecoin’s existing infrastructure, testing whether AED-denominated digital money can be integrated into conventional merchant payment systems.

The initiative also comes as UAE banks and financial institutions explore stablecoins, tokenized deposits and blockchain-based payment infrastructure as part of the country's broader digital finance strategy.

For Network International, the pilot provides a way to test stablecoin acceptance through its existing merchant network, while DDSC gains a retail payment channel beyond blockchain-native applications.

The companies have not disclosed the number of transactions processed during the pilot or provided details on the timeline for a broader rollout.