AE Coin expands into professional services as Nephos becomes first firm to accept regulated AED Stablecoin payments

AE Coin, the UAE’s first Central Bank-licensed, AED-backed stablecoin, is now accepted by Nephos Group as the first professional services firm in the region to accept stablecoin payments, marking AE Coin’s arrival in mainstream business services.

The move signals a broader evolution in how regulated digital currencies are being used across the UAE, with stablecoins increasingly moving beyond exchanges and remittances into everyday commercial transactions.

Nephos Group, with a growing client base of around 500 businesses, represents a significant channel for AE Coin into the professional services sector. Through its network, the partnership has the potential to extend access to AE Coin-enabled payments across a wider ecosystem of up to approximately half a million end users, underscoring the scale of opportunity for regulated digital payments as adoption accelerates across enterprise clients and their customers.

Representing a significant step in the expansion of AE Coin’s merchant ecosystem, further accelerating the adoption of regulated digital payments across the UAE. Through AEC Wallet, Nephos Group clients can now settle invoices in seconds using AE Coin, benefiting from faster settlement times and reduced reliance on traditional banking rails.

Mohammed Wassim Khayata, Chief Executive Officer of Al Maryah Community Bank, said: “AE Coin reflects our vision of building practical, future-ready financial infrastructure that supports the UAE’s digital economy. Seeing AE Coin expand into professional services through this partnership with Nephos Group demonstrates how regulated digital payments are becoming a real solution for businesses, delivering greater efficiency, faster settlement, and a stronger client experience.”

AEC Wallet, developed to support the growing demand for compliant digital payment solutions, enables users to send, receive, and pay using AE Coin, fully backed 1:1 by the UAE Dirham, ensuring stability, transparency, and trust.

Ramez Rafeek, General Manager of AED Stablecoin, said: “We’re seeing regulated stablecoins move beyond trading activity and into real-world business transactions. Bringing professional services into the AEC ecosystem is an important step in making digital payments a practical option for companies operating in regulated environments.”

The addition of Nephos Group reinforces AE Coin’s rapid momentum across both public and private sectors, including its adoption for government service payments and integrations across key industries such as retail, hospitality, and mobility.

By integrating AEC Wallet, Nephos Group is leveraging next-generation financial infrastructure to enhance client experience, offering:

●        Invoice settlement in seconds rather than days

●        Lower transaction costs compared to card payments and international bank transfers

●        Direct wallet-to-business payments without intermediaries

●        Transparent pricing through an AED-pegged digital currency

Joe David, CEO & Founder at Nephos Group, said: “Stablecoins are moving from the edges of finance into core business operations. For firms like ours, where clients operate across jurisdictions, the ability to settle payments instantly in a regulated digital currency is a meaningful improvement on traditional payment infrastructure.”

While sectors such as retail and remittances have led early adoption of digital currencies, professional services have largely remained reliant on conventional banking systems. This integration marks an early shift in how advisory firms may begin to transact in a digital-first financial environment.

As adoption accelerates, AE Coin and AEC Wallet remain central to enabling a unified, regulated, and scalable digital payments ecosystem across the UAE. Integrations like this point toward a future where stablecoins are embedded into everyday business payments, not just financial markets.