According to Odaily Planet Daily, the Dubai Court of First Instance in the United Arab Emirates recognized that wages paid in cryptocurrency are valid under employment contracts. NeosLegal partner Irina Heaver explained that the ruling in Case No. 1739 of 2024 showed a different position of the court. Previously, similar claims were dismissed due to the lack of accurate valuation of cryptocurrencies. Heaver believes that this shows a progressive approach to integrating digital currencies into the national legal and economic framework. The case involves an employee suing his employer for non-payment of wages, illegal dismissal compensation and other benefits. The employment contract includes a monthly payment of 5,250 EcoWatt tokens as part of the salary. In 2023, the court recognized the validity of EcoWatt tokens for the first time, but did not force the employer to pay. In 2024, the court ruled that employers must pay wages directly in cryptocurrency without converting to fiat currency. Heaver said that this ruling reflects the court's increased acceptance of cryptocurrencies in employment contracts and recognizes the transformative nature of financial transactions in the Web3 economy.