The new symbol for the UAE Dirham. CBUAE

The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) unveiled on Thursday (March 27) a new official symbol for the Dirham, reinforcing the national currency’s identity both locally and globally. The new symbol, inspired by the English letter “D,” features two horizontal lines representing the Dirham’s stability. It is designed to be used in both physical and digital transactions, further strengthening the UAE’s commitment to financial and monetary security. The Digital Dirham will have a distinct symbol—a circle surrounding the standard Dirham symbol—using the colors of the UAE flag to highlight national pride and economic innovation. A CBUAE spokesperson said that the introduction of the new symbol reflects the UAE’s vision for a stronger financial future. “This initiative underscores our commitment to developing a modern, secure, and globally recognized currency system, aligning with the country’s progress in digital finance,” the spokesperson said. The symbol is expected to be gradually integrated into financial systems, online transactions, and banking applications, promoting a seamless and unified representation of the UAE Dirham.

Integrating this new symbol into standard typing systems like those on MacBooks or PCs may take some time.​ Current methods to represent the UAE Dirham include using the abbreviation "AED" or "Dh" in news reports. The traditional Arabic symbol for the Dirham (د.إ) can be inserted if Arabic language support is enabled in one's PC or laptop.

The adoption of the new Dirham symbol into Unicode and its subsequent integration into operating systems will take time. Once it becomes part of the Unicode Standard, users can expect system updates to include the symbol, allowing for direct typing through specific keyboard shortcuts or character maps. ICA/Expat Media

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