14 July 2024
Why we charge AED, not USD
Every UAE-based SaaS quietly charges in USD because it's easier on Stripe. We charge in AED because the people running the businesses we serve think in AED, budget in AED, and pay their staff in AED. It's a small detail; it matters more than you think.
The lazy default
Most UAE SaaS — even ones built in the UAE — bill in USD. There's no operational reason; it's just that Stripe defaults to USD if you don't set a currency, and most teams never change it. The customer pays in AED, sees a USD line item on their invoice, takes an FX hit, and moves on.
Why we chose AED
We charge in AED because:
- The shop owner does their accounting in AED. They want one currency on the invoice they keep on file.
- AED is pegged to USD, so we don't carry FX risk by quoting in dirhams.
- It signals that we built this for them, not for whoever the next product-led-growth playbook expects.
- Their wholesalers quote in AED. Their staff are paid in AED. Their rent is in AED. Their FTA filings are in AED. We are a piece of furniture in their financial life. We should match.
What this looks like operationally
Stripe customer in AED. Tax invoice in AED. Subscription pricing displayed in AED. AI-credit balances in AED. The only place USD shows up is when a tenant pays via international card, in which case Stripe converts at the customer's rate.
We'll charge SAR for our Saudi tenants when we launch there. Same principle. Match the home currency.