Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi businesses are going cashless by embracing digital payments, changing not only how customers pay, but also how businesses manage their daily operations, reduce risks, and improve transparency.
Aani, the UAE’s national instant payments platform, has exceeded 12.5 million registered users, supported by a network that includes 74 licensed financial institutions.
Aani also reported that 774,000 merchants across the UAE are adopting the platform as a primary payment solution.
At Strap Studios in Abu Dhabi, managing partner Abdul Aziz Abdul Salam says the business has been cashless since the moment it opened.
Founded in February 2019, the studio introduced card payment facilities from the start, allowing customers to pay conveniently without additional fees. Two years later, the studio expanded its payment options by launching an online payment system, enabling customers to pay through credit cards or Apple Pay, he said.
“Today, nearly every transaction is digital; 99% of our customers pay digitally, and cash transactions are rare,” Abdul Salam told Aletihad.
The shift has also changed the way the business operates behind the scenes. Because most payments are made electronically, there is little need to keep cash on site or make daily trips to the bank for deposits, he said.
“We live in a digital age, where carrying large amounts of cash is no longer common,” he added.
For Veronica Akiew, owner of Breads by Biri Desserts & Pastries SP LLC, moving away from cash was driven by practical business considerations.
She said fewer cash transactions reduce the possibility of mistakes during cash handling, limit the risk of accidents and make fraud more difficult.
Cashless transactions also provide greater transparency because every payment can be traced, Akiew noted.
“The biggest advantage in cashless payments is that there is very little room for mistakes or fraud, but handling cash can be tricky,” she told Aletihad.
Her business, she said, has been entirely cashless as it grew from working with five supermarket outlets in 2023 to 42 outlets in 2026.
“From a direct sales perspective, we have a growing customer base and getting customers to pay online for orders is convenient for the company, the customer and for the delivery riders,” she explained, noting that it would be impossible to deal with cash transactions at this rate.
Akiew noted that while it is easy for businesses to transition from cash transactions to online payments or cheques, there is still occasional pushback from direct sales customers, such as walk-ins or delivery orders.
“Change takes time, so we still allow cash payment if it is preferred by customers, but we definitely push for cashless payments more,” she added.
Consumers say their payment habits have changed just as dramatically. Melissa Pinto, an Abu Dhabi resident originally from India, said she now relies on digital payments for almost all her daily purchases.
“I almost never use cash except at farmers’ markets, baqalas, and parking meters if I have coins. 99% of my daily transactions are digital,” Pinto told Aletihad.
“It is easy to track your purchases digitally, but I also try to be careful not to overspend, as we do not actually see the cash outflow in person,” she added.
Rawan Hammad, another Abu Dhabi resident, said that she has not drawn money from the bank in years.
“I love that in Abu Dhabi I do not have to worry about cash. It is very convenient and much better than carrying money in a wallet or bag—and not everything is through the phone,” Hammad told Aletihad.
She said it is rare to find a place in Abu Dhabi that requires cash payments.
Carrying cash was worrying at times, she noted. “You get worried that you might lose it or drop it. It is much better now that we do not have to worry about that.”
She recalled how in the past, when paying with cash, cashiers used to check the money to make sure it was real. “Cashless and digital payments are better for avoiding scams, too,” Hammad added.
