GLOBAL: Islamic commodity funds recorded notable growth in assets under management (AuM) across all major regions in Q1 2025 – with gold being a central theme, supported by steady investor demand, amid macroeconomic uncertainty and shifting interest rate expectations.
Backed by gold’s appeal as a traditional safe-haven asset and reinforcing this precious metal’s strategic role in fund portfolios, Asia Pacific led the surge – based on data tracked by the IFN Investor Funds Database.
Malaysia and Pakistan posted the highest gains. Malaysia’s AuM jumped by 58.87%, rising from US$36.22 million to US$57.54 million, while Pakistan saw a 59.89% increase from US$12.18 million to US$19.48 million.
Europe also saw impressive growth, primarily driven by Turkiye, which recorded a 41.87% increase in AuM – from US$9.49 billion to US$13.46 billion – bolstered by the launch of one new commodity fund during the quarter. The Republic of Ireland followed with a 29.23% rise in AuM, growing from US$953.74 million to US$1.23 billion.
Africa posted a solid 29.02% increase, with AuM expanding from US$19.18 million to US$24.75 million. Meanwhile, the Middle East recorded more moderate growth, as Saudi Arabia’s AuM rose by 15.08%, reaching US$13.43 million from US$11.67 million.
