ADNOC begins accepting AE Coin across 980 service stations in the Middle East
ADNOC has announced that it will now accept AE Coin, the UAE’s first Central Bank–licensed stablecoin, at nearly 980 service stations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
Customers will be able to pay with AE Coin for fuel, convenience store purchases, car washes, and other on-site services.
AE Coin is a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the UAE dirham (AED) and designed to function within a regulated digital payments framework. Its integration into ADNOC’s fuel network marks one of the most significant real-world crypto adoption milestones in the Middle East to date.
A major step for regulated digital payments in the region
By integrating a licensed stablecoin into its payment infrastructure, ADNOC is signaling:
• growing institutional support for blockchain-based payment systems
• increased demand for instant, low-cost digital settlements
• alignment with the UAE’s national strategy for regulated digital assets
• expansion of crypto payments beyond niche use cases
This deployment provides millions of regional customers with access to stablecoin-based payment options backed by the country’s central banking framework.
Why AE Coin matters
AE Coin stands out as the first officially licensed AED-pegged stablecoin, offering:
• regulatory oversight
• direct 1:1 backing
• no dependency on foreign stablecoin issuers
• seamless usability for domestic and cross-border retail payments
Its adoption at ADNOC service stations creates a large-scale real-world testing ground for stablecoin payments that could influence other sectors across the Gulf.
Macro Insight: The Gulf region accelerates real-world crypto adoption
The UAE continues to lead the Middle East in digital asset regulation, innovation, and institutional blockchain rollout.
Introducing a licensed stablecoin into a national fuel network represents a major shift, moving crypto from investment and speculation into mass-market retail utility.
This development may encourage:
• regional banks to expand digital payment rails
• telecom and retail networks to integrate local stablecoins
• cross-border Gulf settlements using AED-pegged digital assets
• increased stablecoin competition in regulated markets
The Middle East is quickly emerging as a global hub for real-world crypto payments.
BTCUSA Outlook
We expect ADNOC’s AE Coin integration to spark a wave of additional real-world stablecoin deployments across the UAE and neighboring markets.
This rollout will likely accelerate:
• merchant adoption
• government-supported digital payment initiatives
• integration with public and private blockchain networks
With nearly 1,000 service stations already participating, this move positions AE Coin as the leading regulated payment stablecoin in the region.
