Everyone’s talking about Dubai’s shiny gold ATMs right now – you’ve probably seen the TikToks and YouTube shorts where someone pops a card in and walks away with an actual gold bar. But here’s the twist: the UAE did it way back in 2010, and not in Dubai. Nope, the world’s first-ever gold vending machine was unveiled more than a decade ago at Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi (now Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental). Because, of course, Abu Dhabi was already making ATMs glamorous before it was cool.
Here are five fun facts about this glittering piece of history:
1. Gold to Go – The First Of Its Kind
Forget crisps and sodas. This gold ATM, designed by German company Ex Oriente Lux, spat out 24-carat gold bars and coins in sizes ranging from 1 gram (cute little keepsake) to 250 grams (basically a mini brick). Naturally, the ATM itself was gold-plated. Because why stop at practical when you can be fabulously extra?
2. Gold Pieces Were Sold Out In A Single Day
Abu Dhab blinked and the gold was gone! No, like seriously! On its first day, the machine stocked just 100 pieces (though it could handle 300). Within hours, everything was gone. Two men alone reportedly spent AED 20,000 each, snapping up all ten products on display. Who needs supermarket clearance sales when you’ve got gold on tap?
3. A Gift To The Mother Of The Nation
The very first piece of gold, a one-ounce bar, wasn’t bought, but gifted. It went straight to Sheikha Fatima, Mother of the Nation, as a mark of respect. Because if you’re launching the blingiest ATM in the world, you start with royalty.
4. Every Piece Was Hologram-Sealed In This Gold ATM
For a flashier option, there were gift boxes. Each piece came sealed with a hologram, purity details, and even a ten-day return policy (imagine returning gold like it’s a Zara dress). And for coin collectors, there were options embossed with kangaroos, maple leaves, and Krugerrands.
5. Prices Changed Quicker Than Your Brunch Order
Thanks to an internet-linked system, prices updated every 10 minutes based on live gold spot rates. This meant what you paid was basically “real-time gold,” minus that store markup.
6. A Gold ATM Built like Fort Knox
Security was no joke. The ATM’s body was steel-reinforced (including molybdenum steel!), weighed around 500 kg, and was designed to resist explosive attacks. Every transaction triggered surveillance cameras, and the machine would auto-shutdown if something went off script. If you spent over a certain amount, you’d need to scan your ID.
7. This Gold ATM Closed Down Nine Years Ago
The Abu Dhabi machine was removed in 2016, and Dubai’s first two, installed at Atlantis, The Palm and Souk Madinat Jumeirah, were gone by 2017. But for a while, the UAE was home to three of the world’s most glamorous vending machines. Others popped up in places like Germany, the US, Switzerland, and even the UK.
So yes, Dubai’s gold ATMs are having their moment on TikTok right now – but let’s not forget that Abu Dhabi was the original bling boss. Back in 2010, it gave the world a machine that literally spat out gold bars like it was chewing gum. Today, the Emirates Palace machine may be gone, but its legacy lives on every time someone films themselves in Dubai proudly buying a shiny ingot for the ‘gram.
