Network International has launched a pilot for in-store payments using DDSC, an AED-backed stablecoin, at selected retailers in the UAE.
Customers with supported wallets can pay through Network’s existing point-of-sale terminals at Marks & Spencer in Dubai Festival City and LuLu Hypermarket in Abu Dhabi. The QR-based process displays a code on the terminal, which shoppers scan with their wallet before the merchant receives confirmation through Network’s infrastructure.
Merchants can settle transactions in DDSC or dirhams, depending on their arrangement with Network. The company said it plans to expand acceptance across its UAE network after testing is completed.
DDSC is pegged 1:1 to the dirham and settles on ADI Chain, a layer-2 blockchain developed by Abu Dhabi’s ADI Foundation. The token was developed by International Holding Company, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Sirius International Holding, and was approved for launch by the UAE central bank in February 2026.
The pilot allows merchants to accept the regulated stablecoin without changing their checkout hardware, according to the announcement.
Source: Fintech News UAE
