UAE registers first USD-backed stablecoin under payment token rules
The Central Bank of the UAE has registered USDU as the country’s first USD-backed stablecoin for use under its payment token regulations, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
According to Universal Digital, USDU is the first U.S. dollar-linked digital token officially registered for payments involving digital assets in the UAE. Under the current rules, such payments are only allowed using regular money or digital tokens approved by the central bank.
USDU is backed one-to-one with US dollars, with the funds held in protected accounts at UAE banks and verified on a monthly basis.
“USDU sets a new benchmark for regulated digital value,” said Juha Viitala, CEO of Universal. “Being the first foreign payment token registered by the UAE Central Bank and supported by leading UAE banks gives institutions the clarity and confidence they have been waiting for. It lays the groundwork for a more transparent and efficient digital-asset market in the UAE and beyond.”
The registration marks the first time a dollar-based digital token has been formally approved for regulated use in the UAE, setting a framework for how similar digital payment tools may operate in the future.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Dubai International Chamber attracted 373 companies to Dubai in 2025, an 80.2% increase year on year.
