The UAE is becoming a major hotspot for crypto adoption, with new data showing a massive increase in crypto app downloads throughout 2024. According to AppsFlyer, downloads of the top 49 crypto apps skyrocketed from 6.2 million in 2023 to 15 million in 2024, marking a 41% growth.
What’s Behind the Crypto Boom in the UAE?
Most of this surge happened in the second half of 2024, with over 1 million installs per month in Q4 alone. The biggest spike came in December, with 2.8 million downloads, making it the busiest month for crypto app adoption in the UAE.
According to Shani Rosenfelder, Director of Market Insights at AppsFlyer, this surge was largely influenced by political and market shifts, particularly Donald Trump’s U.S. presidential election victory on November 6, 2024.
“There has been a strong correlation between these market factors and the UAE’s crypto market momentum,” Rosenfelder explained.
Trump’s pro-crypto stance reignited investor optimism, and in January 2025, his unexpected memecoin launch further fueled interest in crypto apps—not just in the UAE, but worldwide.
January 2025: Another Record Month
The momentum didn’t slow down in 2025. Crypto app installs in the UAE hit 3.5 million in January, surpassing half of all installs recorded in 2023.
Despite this growth, retention remains a challenge. AppsFlyer data revealed that 60% of crypto app traffic was driven by aggressive marketing, but one in five apps was uninstalled within 30 days.
Still, industry analysts believe the crypto market in the UAE has even more room to grow. With 2025 expected to be a record-breaking year, crypto companies are ramping up efforts to gain and retain market share.
Final Thoughts
The UAE’s rapid adoption of crypto apps is a sign of growing mainstream interest, but the real question is: Can these platforms keep users engaged for the long term?
