UBS Makes History as First Foreign Islamic Principal Adviser on Bursa Malaysia

Swiss banking giant UBS just shattered barriers in Malaysia's Islamic finance arena—and crypto traders should pay attention.

Gateway to Growth

UBS's groundbreaking appointment as the first foreign Islamic Principal Adviser on Bursa Malaysia signals institutional validation of Sharia-compliant financial structures. This isn't just traditional finance dipping its toes—it's full-scale infrastructure building that could pave the way for Islamic digital asset products.

Cross-Border Capital Meets Crypto

When global institutions like UBS break new ground in emerging markets, liquidity follows. Malaysia's progressive stance on fintech combined with Islamic finance principles creates fertile ground for blockchain innovation—because nothing says 'modern banking' like centuries-old financial principles finally discovering distributed ledgers.

Watch for domino effects across Southeast Asia's crypto markets as traditional finance players finally realize that getting in early beats writing reports about being late to the party.

Bursa Malaysia Berhad is pleased to announce the onboarding of UBS Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd as its latest Islamic Participating Organisation (“Islamic PO”), the first foreign broker to offer Islamic stockbroking services through a dedicated Islamic window on Bursa Malaysia-i, the world’s first end-to-end Shariah-compliant investing platform.

This development reflects the growing global demand for Shariah-compliant investing and reinforces the Exchange’s commitment to making Malaysia’s Islamic capital market more accessible to both international and domestic investors seeking ethical and Shariahcompliant investment opportunities.

Islamic stockbroking provides investors with access to Shariah-compliant securities trading, conducted either through a dedicated Islamic window or a full-fledged[1] Islamic brokerage. This ensures clear segregation between Islamic and conventional dealings across both trading and post-trading activities.

Introduced in September 2016, Bursa Malaysia-i offers end-to-end exchange-related services structured within a Shariah framework, enabling investors to trade Shariahcompliant instruments through a robust and transparent infrastructure.

Dato’ Fad’l Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of Bursa Malaysia, said: “UBS Securities’ onboarding as the first foreign broker offering Islamic stockbroking services on Bursa Malaysia-i marks a milestone in our efforts to grow and diversify Malaysia’s Islamic capital market. This aligns with our strategic focus to enhance market vibrancy and inclusivity, while reinforcing Malaysia’s position as a preferred destination for Shariah-compliant investing. With Shariah-compliant equities forming the majority of our offerings, we remain committed to broadening access, deepening liquidity, and advancing Malaysia’s role as a global gateway for Islamic capital market solutions.“ The Shariah-compliant securities market capitalisation has expanded 14.3% year-on-year, increasing from RM1.17 trillion in 2023 to RM1.34 trillion as at end 2024, underscoring Malaysia’s role as a leading Islamic finance hub.

May Lee, Country Head of UBS Securities, said: “UBS Securities is delighted to be the first foreign financial institution to offer Islamic stockbroking window. Today, UBS Securities maintains its top foreign broker and overall top three broker positions in Malaysia with market share of 10%. We continue to see investment opportunities in Malaysia and are currently overweight Malaysian equities. This latest initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to provide global access to Malaysia’s capital markets while expanding our comprehensive suite of investment products for our clients.”

With UBS Securities’ inclusion, there are now 18 stockbroking firms offering Islamic stockbroking services on Bursa Malaysia-i. Among them, one (1) operates on a full-fledged basis while 17 offer services on a window basis. The full list of Islamic POs is as follows:

UBS Securities’ Islamic stockbroking services commence 2 September 2025, marking a new chapter in foreign stockbroking within Malaysia’s Islamic capital market.

Source: Bursa Malaysia