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Imagine buying something at a store, scanning a QR code and paying with digital dirhams held in a wallet on your phone. To the shopper, it might feel much like making any other mobile payment. Behind the scenes, though, the transaction could use a stablecoin on a blockchain.

That idea is being tested in the UAE. In September 2026, Network International announced an in-store pilot for payments using DDSC, a stablecoin backed by the UAE dirham. The pilot included selected locations such as a Marks & Spencer store in Dubai and a Lulu Hypermarket in Abu Dhabi.

It is a limited test, not a payment method available at every UAE store. But it raises a bigger question: could blockchain become part of an ordinary shopping trip?

How does the payment work?

DDSC is designed to maintain a value equal to the UAE dirham. A shopper with a supported wallet can use it to pay at a participating store. At checkout, the store’s point-of-sale device displays a QR code. The shopper scans it, confirms the payment and the merchant receives a notification.

The interesting part is that the retailer can use its existing payment terminal. It does not need to replace the checkout counter with a completely different system just to take part in the pilot. According to Network International, merchants can receive settlement in DDSC or in UAE dirhams.

That choice matters. Some businesses may want to work directly with digital tokens, while others may prefer to receive money in the currency they already use for daily operations.

Why use a stablecoin for shopping?

Many people associate blockchain with buying and selling cryptocurrencies. A stablecoin payment tests a different use: moving a digital representation of familiar money between a customer and a business.

For shoppers, the main attraction would need to be a simple and dependable checkout. Most will care more about whether a payment works than which technology processes it. For merchants, the questions may include how quickly they receive funds, what the service costs and how easily it fits into their current payment setup.

The pilot is a chance to examine those questions in real stores with real purchases. A successful QR-code demonstration is a starting point; making the experience useful across many merchants and customers would be a larger task.

What needs to work behind the scenes?

A retail payment has several steps. The shopper needs a supported wallet and enough funds. The terminal must show the correct amount. The payment must be confirmed, and the store must receive a clear record that it can match to the sale.

Businesses also need ways to handle mistakes, refunds and customer questions. If a shopper returns an item, for example, the refund process should be as understandable as the original payment. Security and reliable connections matter especially at a busy checkout, where delays affect the next person in line.

For a blockchain development company, the lesson is that the blockchain transaction is only one part of the customer experience. Wallets, payment terminals, merchant records and support processes all need to work together.

Could this become an everyday payment option?

The UAE pilot shows how a dirham-backed stablecoin can be used at selected physical stores through a familiar QR-code process. Network International says it plans to expand acceptance across its merchant network after testing, but wider availability will depend on how the pilot performs.

It is too early to say that stablecoins will replace cards, cash or other mobile payments. Shoppers already have convenient ways to pay, so any new option must offer a clear reason to use it.

The bigger possibility is that blockchain becomes useful without making checkout feel complicated. If customers can pay easily and merchants can receive funds in the form that suits them, the technology may eventually become one more way to buy everyday goods.

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