Bursa Malaysia Berhad (“Bursa Malaysia” or “the Exchange”) in collaboration with CGS International Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd (“CGS MY”) held the annual Invest Shariah Conference today, highlighting the rising prominence of Shariah-compliant investments as a form of value-driven investing, in response to shifting global economic dynamics. In its fifth year, the 2025 theme “Innovating Islamic Finance: Unlocking Global Investment Potential”, brought together renowned financial leaders, Shariah scholars, and investors to discuss cross-border capital flows, innovation in Shariah-compliant offerings, fintech developments, and investing opportunities in Islamic capital market.
Dato’ Fad’l Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of Bursa Malaysia in his welcome remarks said, “Islamic finance is fast asserting its global prominence, reshaping how markets align financial returns with ethical values. As investor expectations shift, Malaysia must strengthen its position through broader offerings, deeper connectivity and inclusive digital access. At Bursa Malaysia, we support Malaysia’s leadership by strengthening market infrastructure, expanding reach and driving innovation across Shariah-compliant product segments. In addition, we believe the future must be shaped through collaboration and that is why today’s Invest Shariah Conference matters. It brings together diverse perspectives to spark new ideas that will help shape the next chapter of Islamic capital markets.”
Puan Azizah Mohd Yatim, Chief Executive Officer of CGS MY said, “Malaysia has an established, internationally recognised framework and end-to-end ecosystem for Islamic capital market. We also have the depth and breadth of Shariah products, assets and instruments to ‘export’ our products and solutions regionally and globally. Islamic capital market and Shariah instruments provide a fundamental, value-based approach that investors and businesses can trust. This is especially important in today’s environment, and their growing demand is proof of the propositions.
“CGS MY currently offers 10 Islamic products, with more in the pipeline. This year, we launched several market firsts, amongst which was access to fractional share trading on Bursa Malaysia for the first time. Via our UP trading platform, investors can invest in the Exchange’s top 30 stocks in the FBM KLCI index, of which at least 70% are Shariah-compliant stocks. Last month, CGS MY became the first broker in Malaysia to launch the Islamic Equity Linked Investment Notes and Islamic Autocallable Equity Structured Investment Notes structured products for sophisticated investors. In the coming months we will be rolling out Islamic Repurchase Agreement product in Malaysia and ESG Margin Financing-i in Singapore and Indonesia. Through accessible, investor-friendly innovations, we aim to make Shariah investing more inclusive and impactful for a broader segment of investors.”
Globally, 80% of the Islamic finance industry assets remain concentrated in five markets: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. The industry continues to expand, with global assets projected to increase to USD7.5 trillion by 2028, up from USD5.5 trillion in 2024, underscoring its global relevance and prominence1. Malaysia continues to lead the Islamic capital market with total Shariah-compliant assets now exceeding RM2.6 trillion, representing 63% of the total capital market as at end-20242. The country also holds the world’s largest sukuk market share at 36%, and over 80% of companies listed on Bursa Malaysia are Shariah-compliant.
The full-day conference featured panel discussions and fireside chats covering a wide range of themes, including the strengthening of capital flows between Asia and the Middle East, the rise of private equity and venture capital in Islamic capital markets, and the role of digital transformation in reshaping Shariah-compliant investment products. Speakers also explored how Islamic capital market can serve as a driver of inclusive growth, highlighting emerging opportunities in fintech, multi-asset investments, ESG integration, and sukuk issuance.
Bursa Malaysia and CGS MY extend their sincere appreciation to the speakers from around the region for their valuable insights, as well as to delegates. The Invest Shariah conference helps shape conversations and progress for a vibrant Islamic capital market in Malaysia, and to strengthen its contribution to the broader development of the global Islamic finance landscape.
To learn more about Bursa Malaysia and CGS MY’s Islamic finance initiatives, visit their respective websites.
