How are the key features of Oman Vision 2040 enabling growth of the Islamic banking and finance markets in Oman? How have successful regulatory initiatives contributed to Oman’s Islamic banking sector constituting more than 15% of the total banking market share? Will the new domestic Islamic banking landscape ultimately lead to enhanced product offerings and customer experience? Considering recent regulatory amendments to healthcare Takaful, how will the Omani Takaful sector continue to develop, and do Sukuk offer a viable funding route for Takaful companies? How will Shariah compliant financial technology, including the new crowdfunding platforms, further contribute to the transformation of the domestic financial services sector? Finally, now how significant will green and responsible finance be in the coming year for the domestic Islamic financial services sector?

With Islamic real estate finance well established in the Sultanate, what is the scope for complex project and asset financing in Oman via Shariah compliant structures? Do Islamic products effectively lend themselves to fund public-private partnerships for the development of infrastructure and large-scale projects? What role should Islamic banks and venture capital play in this important activity, and what does the diminishing Musharakah structure offer? How will draft Sukuk and bond regulations further improve and standardize rules governing the issuance of Sukuk? Will regulations pave the way for the incorporation of innovative structures such as Waqf? With important companies such as Oman Air successfully accessing the Sukuk market, what is the potential for other notable issuers? Finally, what funding options do Sukuk offer Omani financial institutions in terms of regulatory capital?

Identifying and evaluating key governmental initiatives designed to modernize and digitally transform the national economy, including the Islamic financial services sector. What measures would assist domestic Islamic banks in the further development of Islamic digital retail, wealth management, Takaful and pension offerings in Oman? How are regulator-fostered sandboxes contributing to the development and distribution of such products? How have efforts to recognise and regulate Islamic crowdfunding platforms created opportunities for the joint ownership of Shariah compliant assets and investment projects? Will the vital SME sector benefit from the new platforms?

What does the transition to green and sustainable financing potentially mean for Omani issuers, and how will Islamic structures play a meaningful role in the shift? What opportunities are there for important domestic sectors such as aviation, oil and gas and other asset-heavy industries to adopt sustainable fundraising programs? What is the potential for private sector financing of green infrastructure projects in Oman? How market friendly is the Omani regulatory framework for sustainable finance and are market participants being encouraged to develop effective sustainability frameworks? Finally, how can Omani financial institutions develop effective Islamic sustainable investment products, satisfying the requirements of a range of savers and investors.

What are the potential uses and applications of digital assets and cryptocurrencies in Oman’s financial markets today? How are digital assets and cryptocurrencies bought, sold, listed and traded, and what roles do exchanges and intermediaries play? What are Initial Coin Offerings and Initial Exchange Offerings, what is tokenization and how are Stablecoins, utility tokens and equity tokens potentially applied to domestic financial products and markets? What are the key risks and issues surrounding digital assets and cryptocurrencies, and what is the role of regulators in the developing an efficient digital marketplace in Oman? Finally, what is the potential for new and structured products based on cryptocurrencies for the Omani market: ETFs and complex leverage mechanisms such as DeFi (decentralized finance)?