Cashless payments reach 99.3% of transactions in H1: Dubai Customs

Dubai, UAE — Oct. 2026 — Cashless payments made up 99.3 percent of Dubai Customs’ payment transactions in the first half of 2026, the authority said, compared with 99.4 percent in 2025 and 99.2 percent in 2024.

The figures support the Dubai Cashless strategy, which aims to integrate customs services with digital payments to simplify procedures and improve the customer experience.

The announcement follows the Dubai Department of Finance’s statement on Oct. 9 that the strategy’s key targets had been met. The emirate-wide cashless transactions index reached 90.1 percent, above the 2026 target, while the government sector’s digital enablement index hit 100 percent. The department commended Dubai Customs’ contribution.

“We are turning the efficiency of customs services into a competitive advantage that supports business growth and investor confidence in Dubai,” said Dr. Abdulla Busenad, director-general of Dubai Customs.

Digital adoption

Dubai Customs completed 23 million customs transactions in the first half, with digital channel adoption at 99.6 percent. The happiness index for its digital services rose to 98 percent. The authority said the transaction volume reflects customs operations completed and is not linked to the number of cashless payments.

Strategy and systems

Busenad said the approach aligns with the Dubai Customs Strategy 2026-2030 and the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.

Rashid Al Sharid, executive director of the Finance and Administration Division, said integrating customs procedures with digital collection improves revenue management efficiency and eases doing business.

Atiq Al Muhairi, executive director of the Customs Development Division, said the authority is reengineering procedures, improving data quality and using automation to reduce repetitive steps.

The Mirsal 2 system is a key pillar, integrating customs operations, e-services, payments and risk management.

A note: the first-half rate is slightly below the 2025 figure, so I kept the comparison neutral rather than framing it as growth. The Dubai Department of Finance paragraph serves as the context slot, since it comes from the release itself rather than an outside source.

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