Islamic finance hits $3.88tn, but growth hinges on digital fixes, study shows

By Puja Sharma

The Islamic Financial Services Industry (IFSI) is gaining serious global traction—and it’s not just about growth in numbers. The newly released 2025 IFSI Stability Report, published by the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), shines a spotlight on the sector’s strong fundamentals while drawing attention to long-standing structural gaps that could either be a roadblock—or a FinTech opportunity.

With the theme “Navigating Shallow Waters: Addressing Structural Vulnerabilities and Shoring Up Resilience to Global Shocks,” the report serves as both a status check and a forward-looking blueprint for Islamic finance in an increasingly digital world.

Global Momentum, Regional Variations

Islamic finance assets surged to $3.88 trillion in 2024, posting a 14.9% annual growth. This compares favorably with the traditional global financial sector, where asset growth has remained in single digits amid monetary tightening and geopolitical volatility.

• Islamic banking grew by 17.05%, supported by improved asset quality and stronger capital positions.
• Takaful (Islamic insurance) expanded by 16.9%, outpacing many conventional insurance markets.
• The Ṣukūk (Islamic bond) market experienced a 25.6% rise in new issuances, reflecting strong investor demand and sovereign interest.

Much of this growth has come from non-traditional markets, particularly Africa and Central Asia, which are seeing faster adoption than the mature Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Southeast Asia markets. While Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE remain Islamic finance hubs, countries like Nigeria, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan are gaining relevance.

Structural Vulnerabilities: Time for a FinTech Fix?

Yet, for all its resilience, the Islamic finance sector continues to grapple with deep-rooted market inefficiencies. The report flags underdeveloped Islamic capital markets, particularly in ṣukūk, as a critical bottleneck. Challenges include:

• Sparse local currency issuance.
• Complex and inconsistent ṣukūk structures.
• Limited investor diversification.
• Illiquid secondary markets.

These pain points are not unique to Islamic finance. However, the difference is that the moral-ethical framework of Shariah compliance adds a layer of complexity that can discourage standardisation—making FinTech innovation not just helpful, but essential.

FinTech: From Optional to Operational

The report subtly but firmly underscores that FinTech isn’t a trend—it’s the backbone of the next growth wave for Islamic finance.

• Tokenisation of ṣukūk could open access to retail and international investors, while ensuring compliance through programmable smart contracts.
• Blockchain-based clearing and settlement systems can resolve trust and transparency gaps in cross-border ṣukūk trading.
• Digital takaful platforms can reduce administrative overhead, improve underwriting accuracy using AI, and enhance customer outreach, especially in remote or underserved markets.
• RegTech solutions are gaining ground for enabling real-time Shariah audit trails, KYC/AML compliance, and regulatory reporting.

In contrast, while traditional financial systems globally are exploring Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), Islamic finance remains more cautious. Yet the report notes the potential for CBDCs to support cross-border Islamic finance settlements, especially when designed with programmable compliance logic.

Policy Priorities and Global Lessons

The IFSB calls for cross-sector coordination among regulators, FinTech startups, financial institutions, and policymakers. Recommended actions include:

• Establishing regulatory frameworks for digital ṣukūk and decentralised platforms.
• Promoting financial literacy in emerging Islamic finance markets.
• Encouraging public-private partnerships to build digital market infrastructure.

For comparison, regions like Europe and North America are pushing regulatory sandboxes and digital asset frameworks aggressively. In contrast, many Islamic finance jurisdictions lack a unified vision for FinTech regulation—something the IFSB says must change.

The Road Ahead

The IFSI Stability Report 2025 is more than a review—it’s a wake-up call. With the right digital levers, Islamic finance can move from niche to mainstream, offering not just financial alternatives, but digital-first, ethical fiancial ecosystems. In a world chasing both sustainability and inclusion, Islamic FinTech could well be the sector’s most promising export.