CryptoNov 9, 2026, 6:37 PM UTC·1 min read

USDU Stablecoin Comes to Emirates NBD's Liv Banking App

Emirates NBD's Liv app is adding access to the UAE-issued USDU stablecoin through Aquanow, bringing a digital dollar into a mainstream banking app.

Smartphone showing a digital banking app with a dollar-linked stablecoin balance against a Dubai skyline. — Image: Unlock Blockchain

Emirates NBD's digital banking app Liv is adding access to the USDU stablecoin, with crypto infrastructure provider Aquanow supplying the connection. The move puts a UAE-issued digital dollar inside a bank-run app.

USDU comes from Universal, and the company's Juha Viitala has outlined how the token is meant to work in the bank's setup. According to Viitala, the stablecoin sits alongside tokenized deposits rather than replacing them, and it is aimed at supporting institutional settlement.

Why it matters

Stablecoins have mostly lived on crypto exchanges and in specialist wallets. Offering one through a retail banking app from one of the region's large lenders signals that banks in the Gulf are treating dollar-pegged tokens as part of ordinary financial infrastructure. The pairing with tokenized deposits also shows that banks and stablecoin issuers see room for both instruments, each with a different job.

The focus on institutional settlement suggests the initial value lies in moving money between businesses and financial firms more efficiently, not only in consumer use.

What is not yet clear

The available details do not cover the rollout schedule, which Liv users will get access first, or any fees and limits. Those points will determine how widely the feature is used in practice.

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Tags:usdustablecoinemirates nbdlivaquanowuae