Roundtables

Roundtable Discussion Outcome Featuring High-Level Stakeholders From Malaysia and the UK On the 18th September 2023, Securities Commission Malaysia and Capital Markets Malaysia convened a stakeholder roundtable in London between UK and Malaysian ecosystem builders, regulators and Islamic fintech industry players to discuss how Islamic fintech and digital market platforms can be leveraged to scale up and lead innovation in social impact and social finance.   Download Here

The Malaysian government has identified Islamic fintech as a strategic avenue to further bolster its global Islamic economic standing and as a source of economic growth. There is much to gain from developing this area. However, establishing a vibrant supportive ecosystem is a collaborative exercise involving many moving components, with funding as an instrumental factor of success for any start-ups. With the input of industry stakeholders, this report, supported by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, identifies four key priorities and six strategic recommendations to facilitate an Islamic fintech funding ecosystem in...

IFN and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation are pleased to release the Islamic Fintech & Digital Financial Inclusion Report. The findings of the report are based on the input of senior decision-makers and leaders from the Islamic finance industry, including the government, regulators and fintech community, given during the ‘Islamic Fintech Dialogue 2020: Driving Financial Inclusion through Islamic Fintech’. Key highlights: Islamic fintech stakeholders identify nine strategic priority areas that will further reinforce and enhance financial inclusion in Malaysia Key priorities include setting up a national Islamic fintech taskforce, developing smart...

A collaborative endeavor with stakeholders of the Islamic fintech ecosystem, this report deep dives into the fast-accelerating industry and provides a snapshot at what it has to offer in Malaysia. Within are the latest facts on the opportunities Malaysia has to offer in the Shariah fintech sector. This also includes the challenges it faces. More importantly, it highlights suggestions from the community. Among them are major pointers on how to best address marketplace gaps and other key recommendations that can drive the Islamic fintech agenda forward. View PDF Edition

The Middle East is a hotbed for project financing opportunities: with a thriving infrastructure pipeline, an established energy industry and of course a vast field of petrochemical and utilities projects, among others. As the sector gathers pace and sophistication, priorities are also beginning to shift towards a more conscious attitude regarding clean energy, green business and environmental awareness – especially as the economic and geopolitical challenges in the region and globally cast a shadow over potential progress. As the industry develops, IFN asks, how will this new path impact project...

Backed by rising liquidity and sound financials, Dubai as become a hotbed for investors – domestic and international – looking to take advantage of the region’s growing economy and increasing curiosity among local issuers and investors on the prospects of Shariah compliant finance.  How has or will Dubai attract issuers (both domestic and international) to use Dubai as the issuing center? In April 2015 a group of industry-leading regional and international experts gathered together at the DIFC in Dubai to conduct a high-level discussion on current and future of Sukuk...

In September 2014 a group of regional and international experts gathered together at the Shangri-La Hotel in Jakarta to conduct a high-level discussion on the future of the Indonesian Islamic insurance industry. With a broad range of perspectives including from the regulatory, practitioner, reTakaful and observer angles, the debate was wide-ranging and rewarding, with lively interaction and valuable collaboration between the parties.  Seeking to uncover the key trends and developments in the Indonesian Takaful and reTakaful industry and gain an understanding of the requirements for growth going forward, the conversation...

The search for human capital poses significant challenges to organizations faced with the need for global managers with international experience, and qualified specialists with multi-functional expertise. Organizations must consider investing in human capital as a strategic target and an essential requirement for future success. A group of the foremost industry experts in the field of training and accreditation recently gathered at the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) under the aegis of IFN and the Dubai financial authorities to discuss the current and chronic gap in the provision and training of...

A group of leading industry experts recently gathered at the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) under the aegis of IFN and the Dubai financial authorities to discuss the current lack of a robust and material Islamic wealth management sector that can meet the needs of its high net worth clients and attract them away from the conventional arena. The crux of the discussion revolved around the lack of a track record in Islamic wealth management and the current inability to attract investors. An average Middle Eastern high net-worth individual is...

A group of leading industry experts recently gathered at the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) under the aegis of IFN and the Dubai financial authorities to discuss the challenges and opportunities of building a global Shariah compliant trade finance network and the possibility inherent in creating a suite of products to service this goal. Trade finance currently supports 90% of the world trade but emerging economies have seen the highest volumes of trade globally. Where does Islamic trade finance sit in this equation: what are the challenges that we’re encountering...

A group of leading industry experts recently gathered at the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) under the aegis of IFN and the Dubai financial authorities to discuss the challenges and opportunities of liquidity management within the industry; to discuss the requirements needed to develop the short to medium-term instruments that the Islamic finance industry needs to manage liquidity; and to evaluate and identify potential solutions to develop the Islamic money market going forward. Islamic Finance news was delighted to bring together the experience and expertise of industry stalwarts including Moinuddin...

On the 1st May 2014, a group of leading industry experts gathered at the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) to discuss the potential for Dubai’s rapidly developing Islamic debt capital market in the context of its wider Islamic economy ambitions and attempt to identify the key challenges and opportunities that currently exist in its path towards becoming a global hub for Sukuk. Backed by rising liquidity, sound financials and healthy oil prices, Dubai has become a hotbed for investors, both domestic and international, seeking to take advantage of the region’s growing...

In conjunction with the IFN Asia Forum 2014, Islamic Finance news held the first in a new series of Islamic finance-focused Roundtable discussions, sponsored by CIMB Islamic.  A group of leading industry experts gathered together in a closed-door session to discuss the first in a series of broad yet crucial concepts designed to promote inclusion and participation in the wider industry. ‘Islamic Finance for CFOs’ aimed to create a roadmap for encouraging more corporates to tap the Islamic markets by identifying the key barriers, answering the key questions, addressing the...

Dubai as the World's Capital of the Islamic Economy On the 30th April 2014, a group of leading industry experts gathered at the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) to discuss the strategy and prospects for Dubai to drive its ambitions as a global capital of Islamic economy. In October of last year Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced a three-year program to promote Dubai as the leading global center for the Islamic economy, based on a framework of seven key pillars and supported by 46 strategic initiatives. While...

Efforts by the UK government to introduce Islamic finance into the mainstream economy as an alternative investment mechanism are becoming more evident with the set-up of the UK Islamic Finance Task Force, and other government-led initiatives pioneered by TheCityUK as well as regulatory amendments to accommodate Shariah compliant transactions. As the UK fights to keep its leading edge as the world’s foremost financial center, Islamic finance has been suggested as a booster to the nation’s economy; primarily to encourage inflows of liquidity from the GCC and Asia and to accommodate...