Money management the Islamic finance way

In this week’s Company Focus segment,JEVITHA MUTHUSAMY shines the spotlight on Qardus, a new Islamic fintech start-up aspiring to close the SME financing gap in the UK.

The beginning
It took the Qardus team 10 months to conceptualize, build, test and launch its Shariah compliant peer-to-peer financing platform on the 3rd July 2020. “I wanted a platform that offers fast and affordable Shariah compliant business financing to SMEs,” Hassan Daher, the founder and CEO, tells IFN. Qardus offers SMEs a chance at alternative financing as they believe many SMEs are not eligible for bank financing.

Market Insiders reported that the funding gap in the UK has grown to US$77 billion as of 2019. The largest hurdle the start-up faced was securing the right approvals. The firm is an appointed representative of Share In which is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority while Qardus’s Shariah compliance is monitored and approved by Amanah Advisors.

“It is important for us to be Shariah compliant as there are over 950,000 SMEs in the UK that are financially excluded due to the lack of financial products that conform to their ethics and beliefs,” notes Hassan.
The presentQardus currently offers Shariah compliant working capital financing up to a maximum of GBP100,000 (US$125,640) and is targeting small businesses with GBP100,000 in revenues or assets.
“Due to the pandemic we are focusing on recession-proof industries. If you look at the small business on our site, it is essentially pharmacy and pharmaciesare doing really well right now, food manufacturing companies are also one of the sectors that are doing well,” explains Hassan.
While market opportunities are immense, Hassan acknowledges that it is a competitive segment especially with the emergence of new government initiatives in response to COVID-19 such as the Bounce Back Loan Scheme and the coronavirus business support loans.

The futureNevertheless, Qardus is working on distinguishing itself by being able to predict credit risk better than its competitors by using machine learning algorithms.
Over the next year, Qardus is looking to onboard around 150 SMEs with financing totaling an estimated GBP15 million (US$18.85 million) and within the nextfive years Qardus is looking to reach GBP500 million (US$630.19 million) in financing.

The platform is also looking to tap asset financing and possibly property financing. Aiming higher, Qardus is looking to provide its own technology solutions to existing lenders in the market and in turn, Qardus will do the sourcing, risk profiling and pricing of SMEs on their behalf.

Currently, Qardus is focused on making a mark in the UK and European markets but is also looking to expand to Southeast Asia and the Middle East in the future. As part of its expansion plan, the platform is also planning to become an Islamic challenger bank in the near future.

Capital at Risk. Returns are not guaranteed

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Halal investment opportunities are those financial products and services that comply with Sharia rules about transactions. Investment is permitted in Islam, but the way you invest is important. Halal investments can span different products including stocks, real estate, commodities and business-to-business investment.

Types Of Halal Investments

There are many different types of halal investments available on the market today. Previously people may have questioned whether specific investment vehicles such as bonds, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and real estate are permissible Islamically.

However, there are now many Islamic and halal alternatives to these investment options that are Sharia compliant and screened for compliancy with Islamic rules about finance.

Let's have a look at some of the most common halal investment vehicles:

• Property/ real estate: property has always been a good investment opportunity but often these opportunities come with interest based products. Investing in real estate using Islamic finance vehicles (interest free) is a great way to grow a portfolio and build tangible assets with potential rental value.
• Islamic bonds (sukuk): sukuks are essentially financial certificates that represent ownership. The returns on sukuks are based on performance rather than interest, and often a fixed return is available.
• Islamic mutual funds: as the name suggests these kinds of funds are halal. The way they operate is that multiple investors pool funds into a diverse portfolio of halal stocks, bonds, and assets.
• Venture capital and private equity: investing in Sharia compliant companies can grow wealth in a halal way.
• Precious metals (gold, silver): you can hedge against inflation and unpredictable market conditions and fluctuations by investing in precious metals that hold their value.
• Halal crypto: As the Islamic finance market has grown, so too has the availability of halal bitcoin and crypto.

ARE INDEX FUNDS HALAL?

Whether an index fund is halal or not depends on how it was formed and how it operates. There are halal index funds available to those who want them. Any index fund that is Sharia compliant should have the following components:

• avoiding haram industries (gambling, pork, interest)
• be Sharia screened by experts in Islamic finance
• avoid debt leverage and riba
• have thresholds relating to revenue and debt

ARE ISAs HALAL?

ISAs (individual savings accounts) are a very popular saving account in the UK. They enable people to save money without paying tax on the interest or gains. You can specifically look for halal ISAs and if you do then look out for the following:

• If you are looking for a stocks and shares ISA make sure the stocks and shares are not linked to haram industries.
• Ensure there is no riba attached to the ISA - cash ISAs tend to be interest based which is not permissible in Islam.
• Search for halal funds that are available.

HOW CAN I GROW WEALTH AND INVEST WITHOUT ENGAGING IN INTEREST?

This is a common question many Muslims ask themselves. The answer to this question is simple - it is possible to grow wealth and invest without breaching Islamic rules.

The very first step is to seek our Islamic finance organisations, banks, lending institutions, services and products.

Make use of halal investment products already on the market. If you have non halal investments currently, these can be transferred to halal investment options with the right guidance and support.

There are many alternative finance and investment vehicles including peer to peer lending and crowdfunding. In addition, Islamic banks are now offering interest free services.

The most important thing would be to educate yourself on Islamic finance and what halal investment entails.

Avoiding Interest

One of the best places to start when wanting to grow and develop your halal investments is to avoid interest. Interest is strictly prohibited, and Muslims should do everything they can to avoid any financial vehicle that includes interest.

If you can actively avoid interest then you are on your way to long-term financial compliance with Islamic finance. This not only aligns with the teachings of the Quran but enables Muslims to fulfil their Islamic duty to remain Sharia-compliant.

Some people worry that avoiding interest will limit the growth of their investments but this is not the case. You can grow your portfolio of investments AND remain compliant with Islamic rules. In fact, there is evidence available that demonstrates that the growth potential of Islamic finance products matches that of more conventional investment models and is actually more sustainable.

Invest Ethically

Halal investments are centred on the notion of investing ethically. In fact, faith based investments not only lead to material growth but also spiritual growth. Ethical investment aligns itself with Islamic principles.

Ethical investments are not only Sharia compliant, but they also avoid harmful industries and practices. This not only supports ethical businesses but leads to greater social responsibility. The ethical investment market is growing fast as the demand for ethical investment opportunities continues to grow across the world.

Islamic banks in the UK and abroad offer ethical investment opportunities. When determining if a bank or products is Sharia compliant it is always important to ask the experts and scholars. In the UK the Islamic finance market is regulated, but you should always ask your own questions if you have any doubts.

Halal Investment Strategies

For those looking for halal investment strategies, the best place to start is always with a reputable Islamic finance organisation. Once you have found the bank or platform to use the following strategies will help you:

• Screening - make sure you screen products and services to ensure they are Sharia-compliant.
• Filtering - if you have any doubts about compliancy then remove these investments from your portfolio.
• Ongoing assessment - keep reviewing and assessing your investments for Sharia-compliancy.
• Diversify - keep your portfolio diversified and apply your capital to different sectors.
• Long-term planning - focus on the long-term and don't expect quick short-term gains.
• Focus on profit and loss sharing arrangements to spread the risk.
• Remain engaged - stay actively engaged with your investments.
• Education - awareness is key.
• Ethical evaluations - make sure you check the ethical valuation of your investments.
• Reinvestment - use returns well!

Debts And Leverage

When it comes to debt, Islam focuses on ensuring that debt is riba free. What this means is that no interest is charged in debt and no interest is paid. In the context of conventional mortgages and loans this can create issues for Muslims as many mortgages in conventional markets are based on interest.

However, there are an increasing number of halal mortgages available on the market. These halal mortgages help Muslims get onto the property ladder without breaching Sharia rules.

Halal mortgages operate without any form of interest. Usually a bank will buy the property outright and sell it back to the purchaser at a marked up price. The purchaser will then pay the price over a series of instalments.

Another version of the halal mortgage is where the bank will lease the property back to the buyer for a specified time until the buyer buys out the bank.

Halal Investment Opportunities

The important thing to note with halal investments is that no investment activity can involve any form of interest (riba).

Any form of investment instrument that includes interest is not permissible.

The division of profit should be equitable between the parties. The profit and loss sharing elements of the investment should be based on a joint venture structure. No one party to the transaction should have an excessive benefit.

Investment activities must stay clear of haram industries such as the pornography, gambling, alcohol, and pork industries.

Investments should not be speculative or uncertain (gharar). Uncertainty in investments goes against the Islamic finance notion of fairness and transparency between the parties. This means that investment activities such as options and futures are prohibited.

Investments should operate within a real and functional economy. Look for the following when investing:

• Fair trade enterprises
• Renewable energy
• Environmental projects
• Waste reduction
• Healthcare
• Education
• Affordable housing
• Social welfare projects
• Community development

Avoid the following:

• Stocks that are based on interest/ riba
• Stocks or companies/ businesses with high levels of debt
• Any haram business or product
• Mismanagement or poor corporate governance
• Exploitation within society
• Poor distribution of wealth and profits
• Poor performance when it comes to demonstrating ethical adherence.
• Adherence to Sharia rules relating to financial transactions and investments. Invest your money now

Introduction

Progressing at pace, the already flourishing Islamic fintech (financial technology) sector, itself the embodiment of the evolution of existing Islamic financial services, now has a clear opportunity to further embed itself within the world of global finance. Islamic fintech can be defined as an offshoot of financial technology that is built on Sharia principles, prohibiting profiting from debt, interest payments and investing in businesses related to alcohol, tobacco and gambling amongst others.

With the socio-economic upheaval and geo-political changes brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, Islamic fintech currently has the chance to become not only a game changing, disruptive force within global finance, but an influential driver of global financial inclusion.

2020 was a landmark year for Islamic fintech as it was the first time that a standalone Islamic fintech company purchased another, with the New York based ethical investment platform and global robo adviser Wahed acquiring the UK based, Sharia compliant digital banking operator, Niyah.

So if Islamic fintech continues along the same path of rapid growth that it has been travelling along on for some time, the sector will unquestionably emerge as a competitive selection of Sharia compliant alternatives to the wide range of innovative fintech startups and established fintech giants that have been a mainstay of Western, Asian and more recently African economies over the last quarter century.

This article explores the latest in Islamic fintech as well as forecasts of the sector’s huge future potential.

The Development Of Islamic Fintech

Islamic finance is one of the fastest growing sectors of the global finance industry. Catering to the financial needs of the 1.8 billion Muslims across the planet and a broader, international ‘ethical finance’ audience, Islamic fintech’s role holds greater significance now more than ever before, where the need for global investment and financing has never been greater, especially in terms of financing SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and ESG (Ethical, Social, and Governance) investments, both of which align closely with the Islamic concepts of social justice and zakat (charity).

(consultancy-me.com, jan2022)

The global fintech revolution is having a similar impact on Islamic finance through the evolution of a progressive, forward-thinking Islamic fintech ecosystem, with many Islamic fintech startups using existing, successful fintechs as loose models upon which to base their own, Sharia compliant fintech organisations on.

With the appropriate modification, many of the hugely successful fintech companies across the world could be used as a blueprint to help spawn their Sharia compliant counterparts.

Statistics On The Islamic Fintech Industry

Standard & Poor’s Head of Islamic finance stated that he believes the market will expand by approximately 10% in 2022-2023 after it expanded with a 10.2% growth in total assets in 2021. In 2020, the total combined asset value of the global Islamic finance market amounted to approximately 2.88 trillion U.S. dollars, with more than 200 million micro, small and medium-sized businesses that still require banking assistance.

Over three quarters of Islamic fintechs are active in more traditional areas related to raising funds, deposits and lending, wealth management, payments and alternative finance, meaning that the digital banking space is somewhat up for grabs.

(Global Islamic Fintech Report 2022)

Based on the 2022 Global Islamic fintech report from Dinar Standard and Elipses, the size of the global Islamic fintech market was $79 billion in 2021, although accounting for just 0.8% of the entire global fintech market. The Islamic fintech market size is expected to reach $179 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 17.9% relative to the overall global fintech industry, which is expected to grow over the same period at a CAGR of 13.5%. The report also estimated that Saudi Arabia, the world's largest Islamic fintech market, is currently worth around $26bn and is projected to more than double in value in the next five years to $52.3bn.

75% of young Muslims want their banks to make investments that ‘do good in the world’, with 62% opposed to their bank lending to tobacco companies and 69% against their bank lending to gambling institutions. 74% of young Muslims said it’s important they can access their bank’s services via a mobile app and 80% said it’s critical they can access banking services anywhere, at any time.

Islamic Finance is currently estimated to be worth $2 trillion globally, at the very least. This figure is set to hit $3.8 trillion by 2023, as driven by high demand from millennial and Gen Z Muslims, who are confidently expected to account for upwards of 75% of Islamic banking revenue within the coming decade. Furthermore, with data from the ONS (Office of National Statistics) showing that by 2019 more than 90% of 16-24-year-olds were already managing their money online, it looks as if the Islamic fintech space will be a blessing for both consumers and providers.

In the UK, 4 million Muslims make up the second largest religious group in the country and according to the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) contribute £31 billion to the UK economy and wield a spending power of £20.5 billion.

The UK had the third-largest number of Islamic finance education providers, only trailing behind Islamic finance powerhouses Indonesia and Malaysia. Furthermore, the UK leads the way with 27 Islamic fintechs, predominantly catering to the needs of British Muslims that want to bank with ethical financial institutions, which is more than the United Arab Emirates with its 15 Sharia-compliant fintechs.

(Global Islamic Fintech Report 2022)

Examples Of Leading Islamic Fintech Companies

Below is a selection of the most innovative and successful Islamic Fintechs currently operating around the globe:

• Qardus- The UK’s first ethical and Sharia compliant SME financing marketplace that offers up to £200,000 in working capital financing to eligible small businesses.
• Islamic Finance Guru - An online hub assisting Muslims with their investment, personal finance and entrepreneurial journeys.
• Path Solutions- Provider of Digital Banking, Risk Management/Compliance, and Banking software, serving over 150 Islamic institutions across 40 countries.
• Wahed- Ethical investment platform and the world's first global Islamic finance robo advisor. Launched the first exchange-traded fund in the United States that was compliant with Sharia law in 2019.
• P2P financier Amartha Mikro Fintek & Bank Sumut - Empowering women micro entrepreneurs through inclusive financial services including Islamic facilities to develop women-owned MSMEs in the region.
• Global Sadaqah - Award-winning, Kuala Lumpur based philanthropic fundraising finance platform, featuring CSR, Zakat and Waqf Management services.
• Yielders -UK based Islamic fintech and leading peer-to-peer property investment platform.
• PayHalal
• -
• World's first Sharia compliant e-commerce payments gateway and online ewallet issuance market. Owned by Souqa Fintech, PayHalal launched the world's first Islamic buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) platform in 2021
• MRHB DeFi Network - World’s First online, ethical / Halal DeFi Solutions platform for passive crypto Income, commodity exchange & staking. Blockchain services provider based in Sydney, Australia.
• coinMENA- One of the world’s first Sharia-compliant crypto-assets trading platforms offering non-traditional investment options in the MENA region. Licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).

Challenges For The Islamic Fintech Industry

• Investment capital for Islamic fintech is for now still typically scarce, and there is a need for a new generation of stakeholders aligned with the principles of Islamic finance. Although these realities are starting to change, many sources of venture capital are still far from Sharia-compliant, making it difficult for the up-and-coming entrepreneurs to fund the development and execution of their ideas.
• The Islamic fintech sector is arguably held back by inherent structural weaknesses within Islamic finance such as the complexity of transactions. This is especially true for those in the general public as well as those within the fintech/finance industry who are acquainted with the form of Islamic financial transactions or the processes involved in carrying them out.
• A barrier to the proliferation of Islamic fintech products comes from regulatory miscommunication. While the regulatory frameworks in the Middle-East and much of Asia manage to provide for Islamic fintech, those in charge of setting the rules (and in some cases, drafting the law) around the rest of the world are often poorly acquainted with Sharia compliant products and services, let alone the principles that underpin them all. Not to mention the fact that those regulatory systems were not designed with such principle-bound products and services in mind. As such, many of these countries have yet to make much effort to accommodate for Islamic fintech. This means that those in charge of building and applying the regulatory frameworks in countries on continents such as Europe and the US will need to implement what is necessary to make their markets both receptive and accommodating to such products and services. Although expert assistance is available through professional financial organisations such as the FCA in the UK, some of the most influential actors within finance such as academics, gatekeepers, and those in authority, frequently lack the necessary knowledge about Sharia compliance.
• A further challenge facing Islamic fintech products and services and another barrier to their more widespread use is a lack of awareness of their existence amongst the non Muslim global general public, along with a lack of the requisite knowledge surrounding the basic principles that are the foundation of Sharia compliant finance. This issue is frequently raised and not just in non-Muslim jurisdictions such as the UK, but also in many majority Muslim countries.
• Performing an unquestionably essential function in musharakah, takaful, and sukuk, the concept of profit and loss sharing looms large in Islamic finance, and is a concept that may be hard to align with traditional western financial and investment philosophy.

(Global Islamic Fintech Report 2022)

Adding Value And Innovation To The Global Finance Industry With Islamic Fintech

With a customer base not far short of 2 billion people, projected to reach around 3 billion people by 2060, Islamic finance and fintech has the opportunity to take the global finance industry beyond the time-honoured bottom line of profit, and offer both ethical and sustainable alternatives in terms of investment methodology and investment products. The increasing focus on sustainable/regenerative financial models and goals, along with the recent progression in financial digitalisation and e-commerce, provides the perfect foundation for Islamic fintech to positively influence the sphere of global finance and investment.

• Global financial inclusion
  
  • Through promoting risk-sharing contracts that provide a viable alternative to conventional debt-based financing, and also through specific instruments of redistribution of the wealth among the society based on Islamic principles such as zakat (charity).
• Addressing financial risk
  
  • The 2008 financial crash was brought about by fund managers and financial speculators making risky investments. Islamic investments by their nature mitigate much of this danger through the prohibition of riba (interest) and ghahar (risk), thereby eliminating any opportunities for short selling or uncertain contracts.
• Offering alternatives to traditional investments
  
  • The fact that Islamic fintech and finance are Sharia compliant does not just mean that they are acceptable to muslims across the globe, but that they offer a different choice in terms of the ethical and moral implications that come with investment choices.
• Reframing the corporate landscape
  
  • Islamic FinTech follows Sharia principles and is hence a type of technology that is ethical and religiously acceptable. Through its very nature, it embraces environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) elements. The alignment of certain Islamic financial products and environmental, social, and governance factors along with recent strides in digitalisation may allow Islamic fintech to makes a strong foothold in the market, perhaps even bringing about re-alignment of strict shareholder interest through increased focus on SDGs, ESG investments, and genuine, far reaching programs of CSR.