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Standard Chartered is proud to present the report on the 2nd Global Shari’ah Majlis 2023. The Global Shari’ah Majlis seeks to advance thought leadership in the Islamic banking industry and raise public awareness of current trends in the sector. The 2nd Global Shari’ah Majlis was hosted in a hybrid format, by Standard Chartered’s Islamic Banking Division, Saadiq on the Wednesday, 1st November 2023. At a time of increased focus on climate change, water scarcity and youth unemployment, among others, this prestigious gathering brought together global Shariah scholars from eight countries...

Islamic finance leaders: What they want you to know From sustainability to digitalization to financial inclusion and regulations, here is what industry leaders at the World Islamic Finance Dialogues 2023 think the industry should know and focus on to usher in a new chapter of progress. VINEETA TAN brings you an inside look at the Chatham House-style discussions.

Saudi Arabia: Potential to lead the way Since opening its doors to foreign investments over two decades ago and doubling down on its diversification ambitions through its bold Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has made its mark in the world, building itself to become the Middle East’s largest economy and the world’s top 20. But has the bastion of Islam managed to live up to international expectations when it comes to Islamic finance?

Geopolitical outbursts sent the financial markets roiling, just as world economies were hinting at a post-pandemic recovery. We are feeling the effects: the IMF projects a slowdown in global growth to 3% in 2023 and 2.9% in 2024, from 3.5% in 2022. And yes, inflation is still biting.  But, global inflation is also expected to slow down – from 8.7% in 2022, to 6.9% this year and 5.8% next year, according to the IMF. And, despite the shocks we have seen this past year (including the stunning collapse of Silicon Valley...

Indonesia’s meteoric rise in Islamic finance after decades of relative stagnancy comes as no surprise to many given its tremendous underlying demographicfueled potential. But the industry is merely at the start of its journey — the road ahead is long, and industry experts at the Chatham House Rules-based IFN Indonesia Dialogues 2023 insist that government intervention is still instrumental.

Asia leading the Islamic sustainable agenda Sustainable finance is driving the conversation in Asia, which has made a name itself by carving out an Islamic sustainable niche. But, as experts at the Islamic Sustainable Finance and Investment Asia Forum 2023 discussed, the region still has strategic hurdles to overcome, structuring issues to untangle and mindsets to change.

Southeast Asian Islamic finance players: Agile and committedcommitted A global Islamic finance powerhouse it may be, but Southeast Asia finds itself in a fast-moving environment with new asset classes and investing trends emerging. Market experts at IFN Asia Forum 2023, which welcomed almost 380 industry professionals across the region, Europe and the GCC, shared their insights on how the industry is changing and how it should position itself moving forward.

ISFI Dialogues: Experts outline way forward for Islamic sustainable finance The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, which has triggered a worrying string of bank failures, revealing our deeply flawed global financial system, loomed over discussions at the inaugural Islamic Sustainable Finance & Investment (ISFI) Dialogues in Dubai on the 16th March. From the role of regulators and policies to managing investment risks, VINEETA TAN rounds up what industry leaders and market experts believe are necessary to build a sustainable financial ecosystem rooted in people, planet and prosperity.

Oman has a joyous song to sing when it comes to Islamic finance. But, as experts at IFN Oman Forum 2023 highlighted, to maintain the tune, and to actually switch up the beat, industry stakeholders need to identify new opportunities in alternatives and address current market gaps. VINEETA TAN summarizes the proceedings of the successful event. The story so far Islamic finance in Oman is on a good run. A decade since the industry was formalized, the Sultanate has been on a phenomenal trajectory: 16.4% of the overall banking assets...

UK: Let’s not rest on our laurels IFN UK Forum 2023 in London was a resounding success, welcoming over 400 delegates from all over the world. While the general sentiment is that the UK is still deserving of its Islamic finance champion of the west title, industry experts raised genuine concerns. In this two-part series, VINEETA TAN brings you on the ground insights from the first half of the day. The UK’s Islamic finance leadership in Europe is undisputed. As a hub, the UK ticks all the boxes: welcoming regulatory...

We are delighted to present this comprehensive report documenting the insightful discussions and outcomes of IFN Qatar Dialogues 2023, a landmark event that brought together esteemed leaders, industry experts and visionaries from the Islamic finance industry. This report encapsulates the essence of the thought-provoking conversations that took place during the event, providing a valuable resource for stakeholders seeking to understand the developments and opportunities within the Islamic finance landscape, specifically in the dynamic Qatari market.

The International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM) is at the forefront of promoting and facilitating cross-border Shariah compliant liquidity management with its groundbreaking Sukuk program. This report canvasses the IILM's stellar performance in 2022 as well as an interview with the CEO and a case study on its landmark debut 12-month Sukuk offering, said to be the first of its kind globally. About the IILM The International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (the IILM) is an international organisation established by central banks and a multilateral organisation to create and issue Shariah...

We are excited to bring you the IFN Awards Reports 2022, showcasing the finest of the global Islamic finance industry. 2022 was the year of ESG as financial institutions and capital seekers integrated social responsibility considerations into their operations and offerings as seen by submissions for the IFN Deals of the Year and IFN Law Awards. Banks and non-banking financial institutions revved up their product engineering engines and mobilized a slew of community-based initiatives; we expanded the IFN Best Banks Poll categories in 2022, dividing them into two wide umbrellas...

The inaugural World Islamic Finance Dialogues REDmoney has been covering the Middle East since 2004 and organizing industry-leading events in the region since 2008. On the 5th December 2022, IFN brought to Bahrain the inaugural World Islamic Finance Dialogues. A series of extended discussions among leading regulators and the industry’s elite, the World Islamic Finance Dialogues gathered 20 market leaders for three roundtable engagements to discuss the industry’s most pressing issues: capital markets, Islamic sustainable finance and investments and digital assets. The dialogues followed the hugely successful IFN Thought Leadership...

Just as world economies were showing small signs of recovery from COVID-19, 2022 dealt it with another blow. The Russian invasion of Ukraine sent global shockwaves paralyzing supply chains and trade, causing energy and food prices to soar. The world is dealing with a cost-of-living crisis and the threat of an impending recession. So, what can we expect in 2023? Is it really all doom and gloom? In the IFN Annual Guide 2023, market experts have identified growth hot spots and new opportunities amid such tumultuous times.

The Islamic sustainable finance and investment sector is picking up speed. Notable progress unfolded in 2022 which bodes well for the industry. With specially curated exclusive content by market leaders in Shariah sustainable finance, the ISFI Annual Report canvasses the most significant developments of the year to provide nuanced insights and analyses.

Oman doubles down on Islamic finance regulatory support — where next? The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) revealed several Shariah banking initiatives including the long-awaited policy on Islamic liquidity products at IFN Oman Forum 2022, which was welcomed with great enthusiasm by market leaders. VINEETA TAN explores what these new measures could mean to Oman’s Islamic banking and finance future based on market leaders’ input at the forum.

Indonesia: New measures to boost domestic and world stage presence Indonesia’s rise in Islamic finance has been stunning. Armed with a laser-sharp focus and an arsenal of effective policies and groundbreaking initiatives, President Joko Widodo’s government has spearheaded an era of phenomenal growth. At IFN Indonesia Forum 2022, we learned more about the administration’s plans including upcoming Islamic ESG regulations and new Shariah funds to boost its Islamic economy. But VINEETA TAN asks, are these enough for the world’s most populous Muslim nation to become an international Islamic finance superpower?

Sustainable finance: How Islamic finance is reshaping itself The world is changing, quite literally. From devastating floods to debilitating droughts — all taking place simultaneously — our world is the warmest it has been in 125,000 years, hitting 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Our climate is changing and the UN estimates that developing markets would need US$127 billion every year by 2030 to help us adapt to the dramatic shift; by 2050, we would likely need more than double that — US$295 billion annually. As governments and regulators mobilize...

New engines of growth to drive Islamic finance in Malaysia It is often easy to use broad brush strokes to paint the Asian Islamic finance landscape, without accounting for the uniqueness of each market as they develop at varying maturity rates. In two weeks, we traveled to Malaysia and Indonesia for our Southeast Asian leg of events to hear from industry leaders about the most pressing issues they face as an industry and how we can chart a path for further Islamic finance success in the region. We are kicking...

The UK: Safe haven no more? The UK financial markets are riled up. With a new monarch, a new prime minister and a new government all within the space of less than a month, investor confidence is greatly shaken. The UK’s recent dramatic mini budget has sent the pound spiraling to record-lows amid a 40-year high inflation. In the weeks leading up to the UK unveiling its Growth Plan 2022, the general sentiment at a gathering of industry stalwarts in London was already jittery over potential disruptions to its Islamic...

Battle of the best Islamic fintech start-ups have had a hard year – which makes the all the victories – no matter how big or small – so much sweeter. While harsh operating conditions have forced a few to shutter, many have proven their resilience and are soldiering on strongly. It is in this backdrop we are delighted to publish the 2022 edition of the IFN Financial Innovation Report. In this issue, we evaluate the most significant trials and triumphs of the global Islamic fintech sector over the last year....

Following the hugely successful IFN OnAir Roadshow 2021 we are delighted to announce an extended series for 2022. The past two years have been difficult for many. For the first time in almost a century, the world ground to a halt, meaning minimal physical interaction, and a shuddering halt to B2B events as we knew them. At REDmoney, we went online, building a new platform allowing us to deliver virtual events to our readers and followers around the world. And, although OnAir events don’t allow for face-to-face meetings and that...

Islamic finance is deeply rooted in the Middle East, a region which continues to shape the modern Islamic finance industry globally. Commanding the lion’s share of global Islamic banking and finance assets and wielding enormous influence in the industry, the Middle East has always been an integral part of IFN. We are honored to have the region's leading experts and industry veterans engaged in fruitful dialogues in Dubai on the industry's most pressing issues.

Saudi Arabia is one of the most influential Islamic finance jurisdictions globally, with more than half of its banking assets Shariah compliant. Not resting on its laurels and driven strongly by its ambitious 2030 Vision, the Kingdom continues to make significant strides. It is in the backdrop of this thriving environment that IFN returns to Saudi Arabia, but this time to host the successful IFN Dialogues series. The IFN KSA Dialogues gathered market leaders and industry experts from the Kingdom and beyond to engage in high-level discussions on the Kingdom's...

As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, the collective hope of returning to normalcy has morphed into an acceptance (resignation, almost) of embracing a new normal, whatever that new normal may look like. COVID-19 has fundamentally changed our social fabric in ways we never imagined, and the effects would likely reverberate for years to come. Compounding the debilitating impact of this global health crisis are ongoing geopolitical crises which have led to staggering inflation and financial market volatility. Times are tough — this is not an understatement. And it is precisely...

On the 26th October, IFN returned once again to Muscat to host IFN Oman Forum 2021 at the Grand Millennium, supported by Bank Nizwa and the Omani regulators, and attended by industry leaders from across the Islamic finance industry, both in Oman and the wider GCC region. In a detailed day of events and discussions that spanned everything from fintech to financing sustainable investments, a clear pathway was outlined to take Oman into the future, the Shariah compliant way.

The Middle East is a global powerhouse for Islamic finance, and has been a force to be reckoned with for the past several decades as it drives forward the development of Shariah compliant provision in its own unique and varied way. From the might of Saudi Arabia to the innovation of Bahrain, the ambition of Dubai to the progression of Oman, across all the many countries that make up this richly diverse region, Islamic finance has blossomed from both cohesion and competition. IFN was delighted to return to the Ritz...

On the 12th October, IFN was delighted to return to the stage with our first physical event in over a year. The triumphant 13th edition of the IFN UK Forum, the industry’s longest-running and most prestigious European event, was held once again at Mansion House under the patronage of the Lord Mayor of London. Supported by the UK government, the event attracted the very best of the region’s leaders, practitioners, regulators and observers for an engaging, enthusiastic and very much in-person event. With the UK’s second Sukuk offering launched in...

The largest Islamic finance gathering in the region, IFN Asia Forum has long been a golden ticket for the industry, and this year we were delighted to welcome back our guests in person. Home to some of the world’s biggest and most influential Islamic finance markets, and some of the most pioneering and supportive regulators, Asia is leading the way in terms of development and drive, and our Kuala Lumpur event this year highlighted the impressive progress that has been made across the region in terms of Islamic banking and...

React, restore, rebound Last year, I wrote that one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we were still navigating the ‘new’ normal, with many pining for pre-pandemic normalcy. Not much has changed since then: the pandemic is still ongoing, with many small wins that vaccination provided now under serious threat of being completely wiped out as new variants emerge. Most are still reeling from the severe economic and emotional damage. And it does not look like we would be out of the woods anytime soon. But, two years on, I daresay...

The synergy between Islamic and Sustainable investing is vast and their convergence inevitable. ESG Sukuk reached US$4.6 billion in 2020 and all signs point toward massive, continued growth as demand increases. As demand grows, the need for innovation is high. New investment products and opportunities are required and that only means one thing – Thought Leadership. IFN is delighted to bring you the IFN Islamic Sustainable Investing Thought Leadership Report, a series of thought-provoking reports, case studies and opportunities from the industry’s leaders and innovators. Coupled with interviews, news, data...

In the second IFN Islamic Financial Innovation Report, we bring you expert analyses and know-how from industry practitioners and market commentators covering key markets and verticals. The report also features findings of the IFN Islamic Fintech Survey 2021, providing insights into current market gaps, opportunities and future trends.

Welcome to the IFN OnAir Roundtable Roadshow, a series of 10 carefully selected, key, emerging, Islamic financial markets, packaged together, to deliver the global IFN audience with an outstanding understanding of each. Each 90-minute Roundtable included keynotes and a distinguished expert panel of that markets’ leading regulators and practitioners discussing and debating the fundamental issues and opportunities each holds. We covered obvious areas such as capital raising, investment, financial technology, and the local retail sector, yet also delved into each market’s more unique attributes and offerings.

We are honored to bring you the IFN Awards Reports 2020, showcasing the Islamic finance industry’s very best. In this report, we review the leading law firms offering Islamic finance capabilities; the most outstanding service providers servicing the Islamic financial markets; the most pioneering Shariah compliant financial technology companies; the strongest non-banking financial institutions in the Islamic finance space; the best Islamic banks; and the most innovative and groundbreaking Islamic deals of the year.

A fast-growing trillion-dollar industry, the sustainable and ethical finance sector has also gained traction within the Shariah finance space. The IFN Green and Sustainable Finance Report features carefully curated thought leadership articles from industry leaders as well as the thought-provoking discussions which took place during the IFN Green and Sustainable Finance OnAir Forum 2020 which covered, among others, green policies, opportunities and challenges.

In a country that came relatively late to the Islamic finance party, Oman has forged ahead with a combination of robust regulatory support, strong investor appetite and cutting-edge innovation. This year, the virtual format of the annual IFN Forum might have been a little different, but the discussion was as interesting and insightful as ever. Join us as we take you through the highlights and present you with a carefully curated selection of exclusive features and reports on the Omani industry in this IFN Oman Report 2020.

As the UK prepares to leave the EU for good, the political atmosphere in the country might be uncertain – but one thing is for sure: its commitment to building Islamic financial alternatives remains strong. Featuring the successful IFN UK OnAir Forum 2020, the IFN UK Report 2020 explores the most exciting domestic opportunities and inward investment avenues within a market that continues to grow from strength to strength.

The storm shall pass Volatility is built into the DNA of the financial markets and while we may embrace and live by this truth, nothing could have prepared us for what 2020 unleashed. To say that the COVID-19 pandemic ground the world to a halt is perhaps not an overstatement. Economies paralyzed, borders shut, governments scrambling to find a solution as the number of infectious cases and deaths continued to climb – such chaos at such a scale, is unprecedented. One year on since the coronavirus bared its fangs, we...

Anchoring major players such as Malaysia and Indonesia, the Asian Islamic capital market has long led the global industry, not only in size, but also in innovation and diversification. Home to numerous other ambitious regional players such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, the Asian continent is riding high in the field of Islamic finance and attracting the interest of a multitude of global investors. The IFN Asia Report 2020, featuring our flagship IFN Asia Forum 2020, explores some of the most exciting opportunities – and biggest...

Nigeria is at the top of its game — a regional leader in Islamic finance, the West African giant continues to grow its Shariah finance clout. So, what is next for the country? Experts took the stage at the inaugural IFN Nigeria OnAir Forum and we are pleased to share the findings, along with a series of Nigeria-focused articles in the IFN Nigeria Report 2020.

Saudi Arabia is a global bastion for the Islamic finance industry, accounting for an estimated 20% of total Islamic assets in the GCC. With a spate of mergers and acquisitions in 2020 to strengthen its banking and Takaful market, a growing Islamic fund industry and a promising debt capital market, this report explores how the Kingdom continues to forge a role for itself as one of the biggest and most influential Islamic finance markets in the world.

The Halal industry is a booming multitrillion dollar sector brimming with immense potential even attracting non-Muslim nations. The IFN Halal Report 2020 is a collection of carefully curated articles on the opportunities for Halal financing as well as a deep dive into the discussions during the inaugural IFN Halal Finance Forum which gathered the movers, shakers and bankers that are both forging and financing this new commercial reality.

A rising star of Islamic finance, Turkey intends to grow its participation banking industry to account 15% of total banking assets by 2025. The IFN Turkey Report 2020 features insights into the Turkish Islamic banking landscape, its growth strategy, challenges and opportunities.

Already an important market for Islamic finance and with a long-standing commitment to Shariah banking, recent regulatory developments in Kuwait have paved the way for yet further growth, allowing the country to stretch its wings as a pioneer within the Islamic finance industry. The IFN Kuwait Report features carefully curated articles and proceedings from the IFN Kuwait OnAir Forum 2020 covering the State’s latest achievements and tremendous Islamic finance potential.

Bank Rakyat and REDmoney Group, a renowned Islamic finance media and service provider, have launched the anticipated 'Bank Rakyat Integrity Forum 2020 – Institutionalization of Reforms in the New Malaysia' report. The Bank Rakyat Integrity Forum 2020 report was derived from the event of the same name earlier this year. The report focuses on the realignment of strategy to meet the Bank Rakyat Strategy known as BR25. Bank Rakyat is recognized as one of the fastest-growing Islamic finance institutions in Asia and beyond and is looking to mark its first...

The IFN Innovate OnAir Forum Report features proceedings from the two-day virtual event. Discussions canvassed digital and fintech innovations in the realms of Shariah banking and investments.

Straddling two Islamic giants, Singapore faces serious competition from its neighbors but as one of the world’s most advanced financial markets, it still holds opportunities in Islamic finance. As experts deliberated at the IFN Singapore OnAir Forum 2020, it is all about finding a niche.

It is our absolute honor to be celebrating the very best of the industry, captains who continue to display a spirit of ingenuity while remaining true to the principles of finance for good, elevating the global Islamic finance sector to the next level.