The currency of UAE الإمارات العربية المتحدة
UAE
DirhamAED
The currency of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the rest of the UAE is the UAE dirham (AED), divided into 100 fils and issued by the Central Bank of the UAE. It has been held at Dh 3.6725 to the US dollar since 1997: one dirham costs ₹27.11 at our selling rate right now.
- Code
- AED
- Symbol
- Dhد.إ
- Subunit
- 100 fils
- In use since
- 1973
What is the currency of Dubai and the UAE?
The currency of Dubai and the UAE is the UAE dirham, in full the United Arab Emirates dirham, code AED, written Dh or د.إ. One dirham is divided into 100 fils. The Central Bank of the UAE issues it, and it has been the country's money since 19 May 1973, when it replaced the Qatar and Dubai riyal in Dubai one for one and the Bahraini dinar in Abu Dhabi at ten dirhams to the dinar. There is no separate Dubai currency or Abu Dhabi currency: all seven emirates share it. It is held at Dh 3.6725 to the US dollar, so against the rupee it moves with the dollar: on 5 Oct 2026, one dirham was worth about ₹27.11 at our selling rate.
UAE Dirham at a glance
- Currency
- UAE dirhamدرهم إماراتي
- Code
- AEDNumeric code 784
- Symbol
- Dh, AED or د.إA new official sign since 27 March 2025, Unicode U+20C3
- Subunit
- 1 dirham = 100 fils
- Issuer
- Central Bank of the UAESince 1980; the UAE Currency Board before that
- Introduced
- 19 May 1973Replaced the Qatar and Dubai riyal and the Bahraini dinar
- Exchange rate
- Dh 3.6725 per US dollarHeld since November 1997, tied to the SDR before that
- Used in
- The UAEOne dirham for all seven emirates
- Banknotes
- 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 dirhamsSix of the eight come in polymer too; the 20 and 200 are paper only
- Coins
- 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 fils and 1 dirhamThe 1, 5 and 10 fils are official but rarely seen
UAE currency notes and coins
UAE money comes as eight banknotes and six coins, although only three of the coins turn up much. Six of the notes now come in polymer as well as paper, and the older paper notes are still in circulation, so you will see both. Each note is shown with what it costs in rupees at our selling rate today, the polymer design first and the paper design after "Paper".
- Central Bank of the UAEFive dirhams5Dh
Five dirhams Dh 5
≈ ₹135.56 today- Colour
- Brown
- Front
- Ajman Fort. Paper: Central Souq, Sharjah
- Back
- Dhayah Fort, Ras Al Khaimah. Paper: Salem Al Mutawa Mosque
- Central Bank of the UAETen dirhams10Dh
Ten dirhams Dh 10
≈ ₹271.12 today- Colour
- Green
- Front
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi. Paper: a khanjar, the curved dagger
- Back
- Khor Fakkan amphitheatre, Sharjah. Paper: a pilot farm
- Central Bank of the UAETwenty dirhams20Dh
Twenty dirhams Dh 20
≈ ₹542.23 today- Colour
- Light blue
- Front
- Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club (paper only)
- Back
- A trading dhow (paper only)
- Central Bank of the UAEFifty dirhams50Dh
Fifty dirhams Dh 50
≈ ₹1,355.59 today- Colour
- Purple
- Front
- Sheikh Zayed, the founding fathers and Wahat Al Karama. Paper: an Arabian oryx
- Back
- Sheikh Zayed signing the union agreement, and the Etihad Museum. Paper: Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain
- Central Bank of the UAEOne hundred dirhams100Dh
One hundred dirhams Dh 100
≈ ₹2,711.17 today- Colour
- Red
- Front
- Umm Al Quwain National Fort. Paper: Al Fahidi Fort, Dubai
- Back
- The Port of Fujairah and Etihad Rail. Paper: Dubai World Trade Centre
- Central Bank of the UAETwo hundred dirhams200Dh
Two hundred dirhams Dh 200
≈ ₹5,422.34 today- Colour
- Orange
- Front
- The Sharia Court building and Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi (paper only)
- Back
- The Central Bank of the UAE building (paper only)
- Central Bank of the UAEFive hundred dirhams500Dh
Five hundred dirhams Dh 500
≈ ₹13,555.85 today- Colour
- Blue
- Front
- The Terra Sustainability Pavilion at Expo City Dubai. Paper: a saker falcon
- Back
- The Museum of the Future, Emirates Towers and Burj Khalifa. Paper: Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai
- Central Bank of the UAEOne thousand dirhams1000Dh
One thousand dirhams Dh 1,000
≈ ₹27,111.70 today- Colour
- Brown
- Front
- Sheikh Zayed beside a space-shuttle model, with the Hope Probe. Paper: Qasr al-Hosn, Abu Dhabi
- Back
- The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, Abu Dhabi. Paper: the Abu Dhabi Corniche skyline
Coins, in fils
The 1, 5 and 10 fils are official but rarely seen. Everyday change is the 25 fils (an Arabian gazelle), the seven-sided 50 fils (three oil derricks) and the 1 dirham (a dallah coffee pot), listed here as 100 fils.
- 11 fils
≈ ₹0.27 - 55 fils
≈ ₹1.36 - 1010 fils
≈ ₹2.71 - 2525 fils
≈ ₹6.78 - 5050 fils
≈ ₹13.56 - 11 dirham
≈ ₹27.11
Sources: u.ae, the UAE national currency; Central Bank of the UAE releases as reported by Sharjah24, Khaleej Times and Gulf Today; Wikipedia; colours as printed. Rupee values at our selling rate, 10:25 AM IST, 5 Oct 2026.
One for one in Dubai
Ten to one in Abu Dhabi
The day two currencies became one
The UAE was proclaimed on 2 December 1971, yet for nearly another year and a half Dubai and Abu Dhabi still paid in different money. On 19 May 1973 the dirham replaced both.
The Gulf rupee
India creates a rupee for the Gulf only: Z-prefixed notes issued by the Reserve Bank of India, to stop gold smuggling into India. It circulates in the Trucial States, which included Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The rupee is devalued
India devalues the rupee, and the Gulf rupee falls with it. Dubai moves to the Qatar and Dubai riyal, the shared money that Qatar and Dubai had agreed in March.
Six emirates, two currencies
The UAE is proclaimed by six emirates, and Ras Al Khaimah joins in February 1972. The money does not follow: Dubai keeps the Qatar and Dubai riyal and Abu Dhabi the Bahraini dinar.
The dirham arrives
The UAE Currency Board issues the dirham. It replaces the Qatar and Dubai riyal one for one and the Bahraini dinar at ten dirhams to the dinar.
Sources: u.ae, the UAE national currency page; The National, 19 May 2023 and 10 May 2024; Gulf News on the history of the dirham and on how the UAE was formed; History.com; Wikipedia, "Gulf rupee"; Scroll.in on the Gulf rupee; CoinWeek on the joint coinage of Qatar and Dubai.
Why the dirham stays at 3.6725
The dirham does not float. It is held at Dh 3.6725 to the US dollar, which is why its price in rupees moves only when the dollar's does.
Fixed to the dollar since 1997
Since November 1997 the dirham has been held at 3.6725 to the US dollar, so the rate does not drift.
The SDR came first
On 28 January 1978 the dirham was tied to the IMF's Special Drawing Rights, and in 1997 the link moved to the dollar.
The rupee is what moves
Because the dirham is locked to the dollar, every change in the dollar's price in rupees shows up in the dirham's. Divide the dollar's rupee price by 3.6725 and you have the dirham's.
One unit in rupees · our selling rate, 5 Oct 2026
The dirham since 1973
The UAE has had its own money for just over fifty years. Before that Dubai and Abu Dhabi paid in the Gulf rupee, the Qatar and Dubai riyal and the Bahraini dinar. What changed along the way, in eight entries.
- EntryUAE
The Gulf rupee
On 1 May the Reserve Bank of India (Amendment) Act creates the Gulf rupee, Z-prefixed rupee notes for the Gulf, to stop gold smuggling into India. It circulates in the Trucial States, which included Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
India link - EntryUAE
The rupee is devalued
On 6 June India devalues the rupee, and the Gulf rupee with it. Dubai moves to the Qatar and Dubai riyal, which Qatar and Dubai agreed to share on 21 March.
India link - EntryUAE
The dirham arrives
On 19 May the UAE Currency Board (Union Law No. 2 of 1973) issues the dirham, replacing the Qatar and Dubai riyal at par and the Bahraini dinar at ten dirhams to the dinar.
Launch - EntryUAE
Tied to the SDR
On 28 January the dirham is pegged to the IMF's Special Drawing Rights.
- EntryUAE
The Central Bank
Union Law No. 10 of 1980 creates the Central Bank of the UAE. The paper series still in use dates from 1982, when the original notes were replaced.
- EntryUAE
Fixed to the dollar
In November the dirham is pegged to the US dollar at 3.6725, the rate it holds today.
- EntryUAE
The first polymer note
The AED 50, made for the Golden Jubilee, is the first polymer note. The 5, 10, 1,000, 500 and 100 follow, the last on 24 March 2025.
New notes - EntryUAE
A sign of its own
On 27 March the Central Bank unveils an official dirham sign. Unicode adds it as U+20C3 on 16 September 2026.
Sources: u.ae, the UAE national currency page; Gulf News and The National on the history of the dirham; Wikipedia, "United Arab Emirates dirham" and "Gulf rupee"; Scroll.in and CoinWeek on the Gulf rupee and the Qatar and Dubai riyal; Protocol Dubai and Sharjah24 on the polymer notes; Unicode Consortium, Unicode 18.0 announcement.
Dirhams and rupees side by side
Worked out at our selling rate at 10:25 AM IST on 5 Oct 2026. For the live rate on any amount, use the AED to INR or INR to AED converter.
| You pay | You get |
|---|---|
| ₹5,000 | Dh 184.42 |
| ₹10,000 | Dh 368.84 |
| ₹25,000 | Dh 922.11 |
| ₹50,000 | Dh 1,844.22 |
| ₹1,00,000 | Dh 3,688.44 |
| ₹2,00,000 | Dh 7,376.89 |
| You buy | It costs |
|---|---|
| Dh 10 | ₹271.12 |
| Dh 50 | ₹1,355.59 |
| Dh 100 | ₹2,711.17 |
| Dh 500 | ₹13,555.85 |
| Dh 1,000 | ₹27,111.70 |
| Dh 5,000 | ₹1,35,558.50 |
Spending dirhams in the UAE
Three things about money in the UAE that help on the first day.
The tag price is the price you pay
VAT is 5% and is already inside the displayed price, so nothing is added at the till. Visitors can also claim VAT back on eligible shopping when they leave the country.
Dh 100 on the tag = Dh 100 to payCards do most of the work
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted and tapping to pay is normal, though cash still helps for tips and for haggling. The UAE also has its own card scheme, Jaywan, much as RuPay is India's, and banks began issuing Jaywan cards in July 2026.
Visa · Mastercard · JaywanPaper and polymer side by side
Both kinds of note circulate, so you may be given either. Change comes mostly as 25 fils, 50 fils and 1 dirham coins, and one dirham is about ₹27.11.
25 fils · 50 fils · 1 dirhamTaking UAE dirhams from India
The Reserve Bank of India's rules apply to every currency, and the dirham is no exception.
Up to the equivalent of USD 3,000 per trip can leave India as UAE dirham notes. The rest goes on a forex card or as a bank transfer.
Every resident can send up to USD 250,000 abroad each financial year under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, travel included.
Tax collected at source applies once your foreign-exchange purchases in a financial year cross ₹10 lakh: nil when an education loan pays, 2% for self-funded education and medical treatment, and 20% for travel and everything else. It is credited against your income tax when you file.
UAE dirhams are on our booking form. Send your amount and the desk confirms your exact rate before anything is booked.
Book UAE Dirhams→UAE dirham questions
The questions people type about the dirham, from "what is the currency of UAE" to "AED is currency of which country" and "AED full form Dubai", answered in full, in three groups.
The basics
10 questionsWhat is the currency of the UAE?
The currency of the UAE is the UAE dirham, code AED, in full the United Arab Emirates dirham, divided into 100 fils. The UAE currency is issued by the Central Bank of the UAE and has been in use since 19 May 1973 in all seven emirates, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Fujairah.
Which currency is used in Dubai?
The currency of Dubai is the UAE dirham (AED), the same money as in Abu Dhabi and the other five emirates, so there is no separate Dubai currency. Dubai has used dirhams since 19 May 1973, when they replaced the Qatar and Dubai riyal one for one.
What is the Abu Dhabi currency?
The Abu Dhabi currency is the UAE dirham (AED), exactly the same as in Dubai. The Abu Dhabi currency name is simply the dirham, and until 19 May 1973 the emirate spent the Bahraini dinar, which the dirham replaced at ten dirhams to the dinar.
What is the full form of AED?
AED stands for United Arab Emirates Dirham. AE is the UAE's two-letter country code and D is for dirham, following the ISO 4217 standard, so the AED full form in currency is UAE Dirham, and the AED currency full form is the same in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and every other emirate. Its numeric code is 784.
What is the meaning of AED in Dubai?
AED means, in Dubai and in every other emirate, the UAE dirham, so a price of AED 100 is 100 dirhams. The AED currency meaning is the same everywhere, and the AED meaning in Malayalam, Hindi or any other language is unchanged: it is the code for the UAE dirham.
What is the UAE dirham symbol?
The UAE dirham symbol is Dh in English and د.إ in Arabic, and price tags and forex desks also use the code, as in Dh 100, Dhs 100 or AED 100. It is the same AED symbol in every emirate, so the Dubai currency symbol and the UAE currency symbol never differ.
What is the Dubai currency name?
The Dubai currency name is the dirham, in full the UAE dirham, and its small change is the fils. Every emirate uses it, so the UAE currency name and the Abu Dhabi currency name are the same word, dirham, and so are the Dubai money name and the UAE money name.
Dirham is the currency of which country?
The dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates: AED is the currency of the UAE, a country which includes Dubai, Abu Dhabi and five other emirates. Morocco also has a currency called the dirham, but it is a separate currency with its own code, MAD. The word itself comes from the Greek drachma.
How many fils make one dirham?
One UAE dirham is 100 fils. Any Dubai currency coin is the same as a coin elsewhere in the UAE: 1, 5, 10, 25 or 50 fils, or 1 dirham, although only the 25 and 50 fils and the 1 dirham turn up much.
Dubai ki currency kya hai?
Dubai's currency is the UAE dirham (AED), the same money as in Abu Dhabi and the rest of the UAE. One dirham is 100 fils, and one dirham costs about ₹27.11 at our selling rate today. Its symbol is Dh.
Value and history
5 questionsWhat is the new dirham sign?
On 27 March 2025 the Central Bank of the UAE unveiled an official dirham sign: a D crossed by two horizontal lines, inspired by the UAE flag. It goes before the amount, and Unicode added it in version 18.0 in September 2026 as U+20C3. Phones and fonts still need to add support, so for now prices read Dh or AED.
Is the UAE dirham pegged to the US dollar?
Yes. The dirham is held at Dh 3.6725 to the US dollar, a rate in place since November 1997, after a link to the IMF's Special Drawing Rights from 28 January 1978. That means its price in rupees moves only when the dollar's does.
Which UAE banknotes are in use?
The UAE has eight banknotes in use: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 dirhams. Six of them come in polymer as well as paper, the 100 being the latest, on 24 March 2025, and only the 20 and 200 are still paper only.
Are old dirham notes still valid?
Yes, the paper notes issued from 1982 are still legal tender beside the polymer notes, as the central bank has said for the 5, 10, 50, 100 and 1,000. The first notes, printed by the UAE Currency Board in 1973, were replaced by the 1982 series and are no longer in circulation. If you find one, ask the Central Bank of the UAE what can be done.
Was the Indian rupee used in Dubai?
Yes, in a special form. From 1 May 1959 the Trucial States, which included Dubai and Abu Dhabi, used the Gulf rupee, Z-prefixed notes issued by the Reserve Bank of India. Dubai later moved to the Qatar and Dubai riyal and Abu Dhabi to the Bahraini dinar, and the dirham replaced both on 19 May 1973.
Buying from India
2 questionsHow much UAE currency can I carry from India?
Up to the equivalent of USD 3,000 per trip in currency notes. Anything above that goes on a forex card or as a bank transfer, all within the USD 250,000 a year Liberalised Remittance Scheme limit.
How do I get UAE dirhams for a trip to Dubai?
Order them before you fly. Matrix Forex, an RBI-authorised Category-II dealer, has UAE dirhams on its booking form: send your amount through the booking bar at the top of this page and the desk confirms your exact rate before anything is booked. For the live rate on any amount, see the AED to INR converter.