Network International has begun the UAE’s first in-store pilot for DDSC stablecoin payments, letting customers pay at selected Marks & Spencer and LuLu locations through existing checkout terminals. The pilot is running at Marks & Spencer in Al-Futtaim’s Dubai Festival City and LuLu Hypermarket at Khalidiyah Mall in Abu Dhabi.
How DDSC stablecoin payments work at checkout
Customers with a supported DDSC wallet scan a QR code displayed by Network International’s point-of-sale device. Once the payment is confirmed, the merchant receives a notification through Network’s existing acceptance infrastructure.
Merchants can settle the transaction in DDSC, paid into a supported wallet, or in UAE dirhams, depending on the arrangement agreed with Network International. The pilot does not require participating retailers to install a separate checkout system.
DDSC is pegged 1:1 to the UAE dirham and operates on ADI Chain. The payment token was developed by International Holding Company, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Sirius International Holding. Network International said the pilot is intended to test the payment flow before any wider rollout across its UAE merchant network.
The company serves more than 240,000 merchants and over 250 financial institutions across more than 50 countries, giving a successful test a ready-made route into more retail checkouts. No timetable for expansion beyond the two participating locations has been announced.
What the DDSC pilot means for UAE shoppers
For shoppers, the current test is limited to the named Marks & Spencer and LuLu locations and requires a supported wallet. It does not mean DDSC payments are available across every Network International terminal in the UAE.
The pilot puts a regulated, dirham-backed stablecoin through the same sort of checkout process customers already use for QR payments. The difference is in how the transaction is funded and settled after the scan.
Network International’s announcement says the pilot is the first live DDSC payment test at UAE point-of-sale terminals. Crypto.news reported that merchants can choose settlement in DDSC or dirhams, while the DDSC website describes the token as pegged to the UAE dirham.
The two initial locations give Network International a way to measure transaction volumes, wallet usage and merchant feedback before deciding whether to expand the service. For now, it is a pilot at two checkout counters, not a new payment option everywhere.
Where can shoppers use DDSC stablecoin payments?
The pilot is running at Marks & Spencer in Dubai Festival City and LuLu Hypermarket at Khalidiyah Mall in Abu Dhabi.
How do customers pay with DDSC?
A supported DDSC wallet scans the QR code displayed by Network International’s point-of-sale terminal.
Can merchants settle in UAE dirhams?
Yes. Merchants can settle in DDSC or UAE dirhams under their agreed arrangement with Network International.
