Dubai Customs records 99.3% cashless payment rate in H1 2026 with a digital channel adoption rate of 99.6%
Data reflects growing impact of the Dubai Cashless strategy and the Dubai Customs Strategy 2026-2030 to enhance the emirate’s competitiveness
Dubai Customs completes 23 million customs transactions in H1 2026, with its digital services earning 98% in customer happiness
Dr. Abdulla Busenad: We are turning the efficiency of customs services into a competitive advantage that supports business growth and investor confidence in Dubai
In support of the ‘Dubai Cashless’ strategy, and complementing its efforts to enhance the integration of customs services and digital payments in a way that helps simplify procedures, improve the customer experience, and raise the efficiency of doing business, Dubai Customs announced that its cashless payment transaction rate reached 99.3% of total payment transactions in the first half of 2026, compared with 99.4% in 2025 and 99.2% in 2024.
These results reflect the development of the organization’s digital infrastructure, the efficiency of its electronic payment systems, and its commitment to providing a smooth and secure experience for customers, which enhances ease of doing business, supports building a more efficient, innovative and sustainable economy, and reinforces Dubai’s position as a leading global model in the transition to an integrated cashless society.
This comes following the announcement by the Dubai Department of Finance, on October 9, that the key targets of the Dubai Cashless strategy have been achieved. The strategy was launched in October 2024 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. The emirate-wide cashless transactions
index reached 90.1%, exceeding the target set for 2026, while the digital enablement index in the government sector reached 100%. The Department of Finance underscored Dubai Customs’ contribution to supporting the strategy’s goals, commending its performance in digital transformation and in promoting greater reliance on cashless transactions.
On the operational front, Dubai Customs completed 23 million customs transactions during the first half of this year, with the digital channel adoption rate reaching 99.6%, while the happiness index for the digital services it provides rose to 98% during the first half of 2026. It should be noted that the number of customs transactions cited reflects the volume of customs operations completed and is not linked to the number of cashless payment transactions.
