Widely acknowledged as the premier global resource for monitoring Shariah compliant investment opportunities, the IFN Investor Funds Database tracks 2,561 public Islamic funds managed by 492 asset management firms as of the 22nd September 2025, with a combined total of US$669.68 billion in AuM.
An insight from this database showed that total AuM for equities, the dominant segment in the UK’s Islamic investment industry, increased 16.34% to US$10.69 billion at the end of Q2 2025 from US$9.19 billion in the previous quarter. This rise powered the robust performance of the overall Islamic assets sector in the second quarter, with total AuM rising 14.58% from Q1 2025.
In Nigeria, where the bulk of Islamic funds is made up of real estate-focused offerings – comprising almost half of the industry’s total US$78.27 million AuM at the end of Q2 2025 – had assets valued at US$38.29 million then, up 8.59% from US$35.26 million in the first quarter.
Frontier opportunities
GMW Capital launched Kazakhstan’s first Shariah compliant PE mining fund, aiming to leverage off geological findings by the former Soviet Union administration to validate deposits where valuable mineral resources can be extracted.
Guidelines issued by the Securities Commission Malaysia opens doors for the establishment of social exchange platforms to attract investments and donations for socially beneficial causes, adopting the Maqasid Al-Shariah Guidance for Islamic Capital Market.
A UK-based syndicate of global Muslim angel investors is committed to bridging the funding gap for Muslims technopreneurs for innovation in the AI era.
Sweden-based bullion logistics and storage handler Loomis Group is exploring how it can enhance Shariah aspects for back-end handling of gold assets, having started discussions with Bursa Malaysia.
The Rahbar Sanaye Mehrgan Sector Investment Fund – an ETF invested in equities of chemical sector firms – was listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange on the 15th September 2025.
Online trading platform Xlence, headquartered in Dubai and regulated by the Seychelles Financial Services Authority, launched a Shariah compliant Islamic Plus Account for clients in the MENA region.
Partnership deals
Gulf Capital Investment Company is offering its clientele Shariah compliant opportunities in US real estate via a partnership with Investcorp – with a focus on existing and future light industrial and student housing sectors.
The digital trading platform of Boubyan Capital added the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Shenzhen Stock Market and Hong Kong Stock Exchange – giving clients access to more Shariah compliant stocks in major global markets after the GCC, Egypt, Europe, the UK and US.
The Afrinvest Halal Fund, launched in July 2025, has been made available on the Optimus 2.0 platform to offer a Shariah compliant portfolio of fixed income, equities and other ethically approved investments.
UK Shariah compliant real estate development and investment company, Sama Investments, acquired Yielders – a fintech offering fractional ownership in properties.
Indonesia’s Education Fund Management Board and the Muhammadiyah Higher Education Council are contributing IDR10 billion (US$607,575) each into a pooled research endowment fund – which will be managed by the latter’s parent body.
Significant developments
Saudi fintech Tamara, which offers Shariah compliant solutions, secured an asset-backed facility worth up to US$2.4 billion – the largest of its kind in the region. Another Saudi fintech LDUN, providing factoring solutions to MSMEs, closed a US$4.8 million seed round led by Sadu Capital, with participation from Suhail Ventures and Nomu Angel Investment.
Lesha Bank announced a QAR182 million (US$50 million) investment, through an entity managed by the bank, in a PE global secondaries fund. Fintech investment platform Sarwa, providing various categories of Halal portfolios among its offerings, has reached an AuM total of US$800 million since it began operations in 2017.
Malaysia’s PMB Investment, an Islamic fund management firm with Pelaburan MARA, promoted Hang Tuah Amin Tajudin from chief investment officer to be its new CEO from the 7th September 2025. L’azurde, a Saudi-based jewelry manufacturer, received Shariah certification.
