UAE telecom group e& has announced plans to pilot AE Coin, a stablecoin pegged to the UAE dirham, for everyday consumer payments across its digital services ecosystem. The initiative follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding between e& and Al Maryah Community Bank, aimed at advancing regulated digital asset payment solutions in the country.
As part of the pilot, AE Coin will be integrated into e& UAE’s infrastructure, allowing customers to use the stablecoin for bill payments, mobile recharges, self-service kiosks, and future e-commerce use cases. The move brings regulated stablecoin functionality into one of the UAE’s most widely used consumer platforms, expanding real-world applications for digital assets.
Mohammed Wassim Khayata, CEO of Al Maryah Community Bank, said the pilot supports broader adoption of compliant virtual assets in daily transactions. Ramez Rafeek, General Manager of AED Stablecoin, described the initiative as a key milestone toward mainstream stablecoin integration within regulated financial systems.
The trial comes amid growing momentum for digital asset adoption in the UAE. Recent developments include the launch of dirham-pegged stablecoin initiatives by global players, the expansion of crypto exchanges offering AED-denominated services, and government-led efforts to enable crypto payments for public services as part of national cashless strategies.
