- UAE launches new fiat and digital dirham symbols to align currency identity with blockchain-based payment infrastructure developments.
- Digital Dirham will enable programmable payments, smart contract execution, and atomic settlement through a regulated blockchain framework.
The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) has formalized the adoption of new visual identifiers for its fiat and digital currency units. The updated dirham symbol integrates into both physical issuance and the upcoming Digital Dirham framework, part of the country’s multi-phase payment modernization strategy.
The fiat symbol features the first Latin character of the currency’s name, reinforced by dual horizontal bars—representing price stability and monetary identity. The digital variant encloses the base symbol within a circular frame, using flag-based color encoding to distinguish the sovereign digital unit. Both symbols will standardize the dirham’s appearance across global remittance rails, tokenized networks, and clearing mechanisms.
The new branding accompanies UAE’s ongoing Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) Programme, which includes the development of a CBDC-ready settlement stack. The Digital Dirham, expected to launch for retail use in Q4 2025, will rely on a permissioned blockchain ledger for issuance, movement, and redemption.
“The new symbols reflect the UAE’s global currency aspirations, supported by its strong economic position with record trade levels of $800 billion. While these changes demonstrate the UAE’s commitment to currency modernisation and digital innovation, achieving a global currency status will depend on continued economic growth, successful Digital Dirham implementation, and further integration into international finance systems,” he said.
Under the model, the CBDC will be distributed through licensed money service operators—banks, forex dealers, and fintech aggregators—who will provide wallet access to both individuals and corporates. The central bank has already built a multi-function digital wallet, allowing native support for atomic swaps, programmable money, and tokenized asset rails.
On-chain transactions will support smart contract execution, enabling multi-stage financial logic and real-time settlement between counterparties. The platform also integrates cross-border liquidity routing, positioning the dirham for foreign exchange interoperability in high-volume trade corridors.
UAE authorities confirm that the dirham ranks among the top 10 most-traded fiat pairs in the UK, based on volume metrics between February 2024 and January 2025. The new symbols are intended to boost currency recognizability across legacy financial infrastructure and blockchain-based payment systems.
“The circle surrounding the symbol in the Dirham logo represents the country’s approach to embracing revolutionary blockchain technology. This technology will serve as a cornerstone in positioning the UAE not only as a global financial market centre but also as an international hub for settling cross-border trade payments using a local currency supported by revolutionary technology that aims to make transactions faster, safer, and less costly,” said Hasn.
In parallel, UAE regulators are engineering the Digital Dirham for compliance, auditability, and programmable monetary policy controls. The product will coexist with cash and commercial deposits, acting as a universal unit for retail, wholesale, and cross-border settlement.
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