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Abu Dhabi Airports Exploring Options For Air Taxis
Abu Dhabi Airports has just signed an agreement with French counterpart Groupe ADP in a bid to explore how airport infrastructure could be updated to incorporate air taxis.
Abu Dhabi Airports has teamed up with France-based Groupe ADP to incorporate air taxis into the airport infrastructure. The two groups have drawn up an advanced air mobility (AAM) plan, focusing on Abu Dhabi’s airspace and the viability of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. If plans are successful, the Emirate could see fleets of highly efficient craft darting around the region, ferrying both people and small cargo loads.
The joint team have agreed to share the responsibilities of planning, development and design and will soon draft a feasibility study after discussions with stakeholders.
“The advanced air mobility system integrates flight technologies with transformational aircraft designs which utilize electric power to hover, take off and land vertically, enabling sustainability in air transport for both passengers and cargo,” says Jamal Al Dhaheri, managing director and chief executive of Abu Dhabi Airports.
It’s hoped that eventually, the planned infrastructure and technology will not only drive further improvements to the region’s sustainability credentials, but also improve transport convenience and efficiency through the use of low maintenance high speed air taxis.
Also Read: Saudi Arabia To Build 150,000 EVs Annually By 2026
Groupe ADP and Abu Dhabi Airports aren’t alone in their desire to develop air taxi infrastructure. Many companies worldwide have already begun to explore the regulatory implications of this new type of transport, and major airlines are keen to develop viable battery-powered aircraft designs that can take off and land vertically.
In the future, it looks increasingly likely that our cities will resemble something from a sci-fi movie, with taxis taking off and landing from “vertiports” on building rooftops, helping residents beat traffic queues and get to main transportation hubs on time.
News
Dirham-Backed Stablecoin DDSC Enters Live Phase In UAE
Central Bank approval moves the dirham-backed token into deployment, targeting regulated payments and settlement flows.
The UAE has cleared the launch of DDSC, a dirham-backed stablecoin now entering live operation after approval from the Central Bank. The move pushes the project beyond its pilot phase and into the country’s regulated financial system.
The token is backed by a consortium led by IHC, Sirius International Holding and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), framing it as an institutional instrument rather than a consumer crypto product. DDSC was first announced in April 2025, but regulatory clearance now allows deployment and integration across approved channels.
DDSC runs on ADI Chain, a Layer 2 blockchain built by the Abu Dhabi-based ADI Foundation. The infrastructure is designed for governance and performance requirements expected by large institutions, linking blockchain settlement with existing compliance and oversight frameworks.
The focus is practical, targeting treasury settlements, high-value payments, trade and supply-chain transactions, and programmable financial flows for regulated entities. FAB plans to offer access to the token through approved platforms for its clients, keeping the rollout inside controlled banking environments.
“DDSC marks a defining milestone in the UAE’s digital finance journey,” said Syed Basar Shueb, CEO of IHC. “With the Central Bank’s approval and our transition into live operation, we are delivering trusted, institutional-grade infrastructure that strengthens resilience, accelerates innovation, and expands what is possible in regulated digital payments”.
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FAB says the project reflects how stablecoins can sit within traditional finance when risk controls are built in from the outset. “This milestone underscores that stablecoins can be integrated responsibly into the financial system when built to meet rigorous regulatory and risk requirements,” said Futoon Hamdan AlMazrouei, Group Head of Personal, Business, Wealth and Privileged Client Banking Group at FAB.
The launch reinforces the UAE’s strategy of pushing digital finance through regulation instead of open-ended crypto experimentation. Stablecoins in this model are positioned less as trading assets and more as programmable extensions of national currency, aimed at institutional scale and government use cases.
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