The United Arab Emirates has launched the Middle East’s inaugural biometric payment system, marking a significant advancement in financial technology infrastructure. The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) is currently conducting a proof-of-concept pilot at the Dubai Land Department, enabling consumers to complete transactions through facial recognition or palm scanning technology.
This groundbreaking initiative operates within the CBUAE’s Sandbox Programme and Innovation Hub at the Emirates Institute of Finance, developed in partnership with Network International and powered by PopID’s biometric authentication technology. The system eliminates traditional payment instruments, allowing users to authenticate purchases without physical cards or mobile devices.
Central Bank officials emphasize that the pilot program remains in a controlled testing environment where security protocols, operational efficiency, and system readiness undergo rigorous evaluation. No definitive timeline has been established for commercial deployment beyond the experimental phase.
Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Assistant Governor for Banking Operations and Support Services at CBUAE, highlighted the dual benefits of enhanced transaction security and improved customer experience. Meanwhile, Network International CEO Murat Cagri Suzer projected that biometric authentication will assume an increasingly prominent role in digital commerce as financial institutions seek alternatives to conventional payment methodologies.
The development aligns with broader regional trends toward digital payment adoption, with recent reports indicating declining cash usage across UAE markets. This innovation represents the latest advancement in the country’s ongoing digital transformation initiatives within the financial sector.