The Government of Dubai has shaped the Cashless Dubai Working Group to create an action plan to shift all payment transactions in Dubai to secure and easy-to-use cashless platforms across sectors.

The initiative brings together Smart Dubai, Dubais Department of Finance (DOF), the Supreme Legislation Committee, Dubai Economy, Dubai Police, Dubai Economic Security Centre, Dubai Chamber, and Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing to drive a secure and seamless transition towards a cashless society in the emirate.

The Working Group will be assigned with a set of key objectives comprising the development of a roadmap for the transition towards a cashless society. The Group will launch a series of aspiring initiatives targeting all segments of the community to make the infrastructure and favourable conditions for reducing the use of cash.

At its opening meeting, the Working Group launched the Dubai Cashless Framework Report, established by Smart Dubai and the Dubai Department of Finance. The Report seeks to encourage the use of smart payment platforms for all transactions to phase out the use of physical cash. The Dubai Cashless Framework Report forms part of the Working Groups efforts to support the emirates full digital transition and make Dubai the worlds smartest and happiest city, in line with the directives of the UAEs leadership and the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071 plan.

His Excellency Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh, Director General of Dubai's DOF, affirmed the government's willingness to promote the happiness and well-being of the residents and visitors of the emirate, based on the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

"Setting and stimulating a cashless payment structure will advance various aspects of economic activity in the Dubai, motivate thoughtful spending, raise revenue and increase cost effectiveness, whether at the government or private sector level, in addition to permitting individuals to achieve financial savings in many aspects of life," HE Al Saleh said.

"This initiative, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region, reinforces Dubais leadership in the regional financial sector," he said. "DOF plays a vital role in this planned strategic shift to a cashless Dubai by assigning the required budget for the project, offering consultations in financial affairs and coordinating with relevant financial authorities."

His Excellency Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of Dubai Economy, remarked: The Government of Dubai is keen to accelerate the growth of the cashless economy as directed by the leadership and improve financial inclusion to increase digital payments in the emirate, as it is one of the key pillars in Dubais smart transformation. Aligned with the leadership's long-term vision, the Cashless Dubai Working Group initiative is critical to augmenting the efforts of different entities in the emirate to make a smart and safe economic environment.

Al Qamzi added: At Dubai Economy, we are dedicated to reinforce our strategic role as one of the main engines of the cashless economy, and we will work with our different partners to accomplish the objectives of the Cashless Dubai Working Group in line with the global shift towards digital payments. Our country ranks first internationally in the Digital Connectivity Index of Euromonitor International, which places Dubai and the UAE in a respectable position to become one of the worlds leading cashless societies.

His Excellency Younus Al Nasser, Assistant Director General of Smart Dubai, and CEO of the Dubai Data Establishment said: Going cashless represents the future of transactions and is the way that business and commerce are increasingly being conducted in the 21^st century. The Cashless Framework Report is a landmark step in the journey towards becoming cashless. The Framework will act as a guide to the citywide adoption of smart payment methods that will eventually make physical currency a part of history.

Embracing such innovative breakthroughs is a key part of our mandate at Smart Dubai as we strive to achieve our mission to guarantee peoples wellbeing, advance the emirates smart infrastructure and ultimately harness technology to transform Dubai into the worlds happiest and smartest city, His Excellency added.

The Cashless Framework Report benchmarks four countries that have successfully led a full transition towards a cashless society. The Smart Dubai team working on the report used references from global studies to identify the benefits of transitioning towards a cashless society, Al Nasser explained.

The report, which sheds light on enabling aspects such as governance, technology and culture, thoroughly assesses the immense benefits of such a transition for governments, businesses and individuals.

The Cashless Framework Report outlines the governance ecosystem, policy levers, regulatory and industry initiatives, and technology and cultural drivers that are critical to driving the transition towards a cashless society and ensuring a seamless experience for both businesses and consumers.

The latest report says that going cashless brings about a range of advantages, stretching from economic benefits to greater health and safety standards for citizens and residents. From a health perspective, the minimal physical contact involved in smart transactions is a specific consideration in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To design the framework and develop the report, Smart Dubai reviewed global policy and regulatory references from all around the world, piecing together the most suitable governance structure necessary for the transition in the emirate. The team analysed and identified the key regulatory initiatives that will flawlessly drive this transition, while smoothing competition, innovation, resilience and consumer protection.

Smart Dubai has planned out the cashless payment experiences expected in the future and the technology needed to enable those experiences. Furthermore, the team has analysed both global and domestic cultural drivers and identified areas where Dubai embodies such drivers.