Malaysia’s Prime Minister, YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, will inaugurate the Global Islamic Finance Forum (GIFF) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur on 13‑15 October, as the industry eyes US$7.5 trillion in assets by 2028.
The 8th edition of the forum, themed Bridging Tradition and Tomorrow: Advancing Business, Empowering Communities, is organised by Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) with support from Bank Negara Malaysia. First launched in 2007, GIFF has become an important platform for shaping discourse, fostering innovation, and driving global engagement in Islamic finance.
Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour, will deliver the opening address. Notable speakers include the CEO of Fajr Capital, Dato’ Paduka Iqbal Khan, UN Special Envoy for Financing Sustainable Development, Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin, Global Chief Commercial Officer, Digital Banking, BPC, Imran Vilcassim, CEO of The Finanser, Chris Skinner, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ibn Haldun University, H.E. Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, and Malaysia International Islamic Finance Centre (MIFC) Leadership Council (MLC) Chairman, Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar.
“Islamic finance is evolving beyond conventional boundaries, towards a future defined by purpose, innovation and global relevance. GIFF 2025 is not just a conference but a strategic convening of minds. It brings together decision-makers, scholars, and industry pioneers to address the pressing challenges and opportunities shaping the Islamic financial ecosystem,” said AIBIM President, Dato’ Mohd Muazzam Mohamed.
“From strengthening intra-OIC investment flows and harmonising Shariah standards to embedding sustainability through Value-Based Intermediation and harnessing artificial intelligence, the forum reflects our collective commitment to building a resilient, inclusive, and ethically grounded financial future. We are also prioritising regional takaful development and unlocking financing for the halal economy. These are critical pillars to building a resilient and future-ready financial ecosystem and for long-term socio-economic impact,” he added.
Islamic finance assets are forecast to grow from US$5.5 trillion in 2024 to US$7.5 trillion by 2028, with the sukuk market expanding to US$1.5 trillion from US$971 billion, Standard Chartered said. Malaysia has topped the global rankings for 11 straight years, according to the ICD‑LSEG Islamic Finance Development Report 2024.
The forum will also spotlight winners of the MIFC Global Impact Challenge, organised by Bank Negara Malaysia and the MIFC Leadership Council, which sought financial solutions for climate resilience and social inclusion.
Standard Chartered Saadiq will host the fourth Global Shariah Majlis as a parallel session, highlighting how Islamic finance can remain competitive under the theme, Bridging Tradition and Tomorrow: Faith, Finance and the Future.
Labuan IBFC and Kenanga Investment Bank will present Digitalising Maqasid al‑Shariah: Islamic Finance for the Next Era, a session on tokenisation, digital assets and Islamic digital finance aimed at positioning Malaysia as a hub for Shariah‑aligned innovation.
Other highlights include the inaugural AIBIM Shariah Ledger, offering insights into Malaysia’s Islamic banking governance processes; the launch of the World Bank’s flagship report iTEKAD: Making Inroads into Social Finance; and a session on the UK‑based Pfida model, a Shariah‑compliant approach to home ownership that avoids conventional debt.
GIFF 2025 is supported by sponsors including Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, Malaysian Takaful Association and Tek Securities Limited as Diamond Partners, and DDCAP Group and CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad as Gold Partners, as well as other partners.
Registration details are available at https://giff-aibim.com/register/.
