Shaping Responsible Innovation in Islamic Finance: Governance, Adoption and the Future of Digital Assets
19th May 2026
Hilton Kuala Lumpur
About The Event
The rapid evolution of digital assets and stablecoins presents both opportunities and challenges for the Islamic financial services sector. While technological capabilities continue to advance, responsible adoption depends on regulatory clarity, robust governance, and sound Shariah interpretation, particularly within a well-regulated financial system such as Malaysia’s. This closed-door roundtable brings together representatives of regulators, Islamic financial institutions, Shariah-compliant investment managers, potential issuers of digital assets and stablecoins, senior Shariah advisers, and subject-matter experts to exchange views under the Chatham House Rule, enabling open and candid discussion. The roundtable is designed to move beyond conceptual debates and focus on practical considerations, areas of convergence, and forward-looking insights relating to the participation in, investment in, and potential issuance of Shariah-compliant digital assets and stablecoins. The objective is not to reach formal conclusions or policy positions, but to identify key considerations, common themes, and potential pathways that may inform future institutional practices, regulatory thinking, market development, and Shariah deliberations.
Event Agenda
Confirmed Participants
Moderator: Dr Eskandar Shah
CEO, ISRA International Consulting
Ben Quah
CEO, Labuan IBFC Inc.
Dafinah Ahmed Hilmi
CEO, Hong Leong Islamic Bank
Daud Vicary Abdullah
Director, Fasset Labuan
Gerard Ang
Head, Financing and Securities Services, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia
Kiko Tan Yong Fon
Vice President, Treasury, Khazanah Nasional
Norasyikin Mohamad Razali
Deputy Director, Payment Services Policy Department, Bank Negara Malaysia
Mufti Faraz Adam
Leading Global Advisor, Islamic Finance, Fintech and Digital Assets
Ridzham Zaidi Rizlzuwan
Deputy General Manager, Islamic Capital Market, Securities Commission Malaysia
Yong Chee Soon
Head of Structuring, Group Wholesale Banking, CIMB
Zaki Fasihuddin
Head of Product Research & Development, Payments Network MalaysiaDiscussion Points
IFN Shariah-Compliant Digital Assets and Stablecoins Roundtable brings together regulators, Islamic finance leaders, Shariah advisers, and innovators to explore practical pathways for responsible engagement with digital assets and stablecoins. The discussion will focus on three thematic areas outlined below.
Setting the Scene: Digital Assets, Stablecoins and Islamic Finance
This opening discussion establishes a shared understanding of how digital assets and stablecoins are evolving globally and why they are attracting increasing attention from regulators and financial institutions. Participants will explore how these developments intersect with the objectives and principles of Islamic finance, including ethical finance and social finance, and consider whether they raise new Shariah questions or extensions of existing ones.
Adoption Challenges for Islamic Financial Institutions, Shariah-Compliant Investment Managers, and Potential Issuers
This discussion focuses on the practical challenges institutions face when considering engagement with digital assets and stablecoins. Participants will reflect on institutional readiness, governance structures, and risk management considerations, including Shariah, operational, and regulatory risks. The session also explores the role of regulators and Shariah advisory structures in enabling responsible participation while maintaining market integrity and investor protection.
Opportunities and Forward Pathways for Shariah-Compliant Digital Assets and Stablecoins
The final discussion looks ahead to potential opportunities and practical pathways for participation in digital assets and stablecoins. Participants will consider use cases aligned with Islamic finance, including payments, financial inclusion, cross-border settlement, and Waqf. The discussion will also explore what market infrastructure, governance standards, and industry collaboration may be required to support a credible and scalable ecosystem.
Fasset is a global stablecoin-powered Islamic banking and investment platform focused on enhancing financial inclusion in high-growth markets, enabling individuals and businesses to securely deposit and invest from anywhere in the world. In 2024, Fasset introduced Own, its Ethereum Layer 2, designed to expand access to decentralized finance globally. Fasset has offices in Dubai and Jakarta and holds regulatory approvals in several countries, including the UAE and Indonesia, for offering tokenized assets.
About REDmoney Events
REDmoney events designs, organizes and hosts industry-leading conferences, forums, roadshows, seminars and dialogues focusing on the Islamic financial markets across a global, regional and national level. Leveraging an exceptional network of the industry’s elite and supported by the expertise of the REDmoney publishing and seminars divisions, REDmoney Events are able to provide access to a unique array of influential speakers, panelists and participants from a cross-section of the global industry to debate the most significant issues affecting the Shariah compliant financial markets.
REDmoney events are differentiated by their complimentary yet qualified attendance structure, ensuring the highest quality of both delegates and contributors. Comprehensive and cuttingedge, attendance ensures exclusive access to the leaders in their field across all sectors and markets.
The annual IFN Asia and IFN UK Forums are categorically recognized as their continent’s leading industry events since their inception in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The Dialogues series have also become an integral element of the REDmoney events series and have cemented their position as leading, must-attend, events.
In 2024, we welcome the IFN Investor Forums, which coincide with the new IFN Investor portal.
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Our team will be glad to answer any questions you may have about this event.