Dubai-based Islamic bank Ruya has launched regulated Bitcoin trading inside its mobile banking app, becoming the first Islamic bank globally to offer Shariah-compliant access to the asset. The service went live after the bank completed a review with its Shariah governance board, which approved Bitcoin as part of Ruya’s long-term wealth-management tools.
The feature allows customers to buy and sell Bitcoin under the same oversight that governs the bank’s existing investment products. Ruya said the service is designed for users who prefer supervised environments instead of offshore trading platforms. As part of the rollout, the bank emphasized that all virtual-asset activity remains subject to the UAE’s financial regulations.
The launch follows a year of rising digital-asset inflows into the UAE. Data cited in Ruya’s official material shows more than 30 billion dollars entered the country’s crypto market in the past year. The bank said demand for compliant investment channels has increased across its customer base.
Partnership With Fuze Supports Trading and Settlement
Ruya built its Bitcoin feature through a partnership with Fuze, a licensed virtual-asset infrastructure provider in the UAE. Fuze supplies brokerage, liquidity, and settlement tools that sit inside the bank’s regulatory perimeter. Through this setup, Ruya can offer crypto services without sending customer flow to external exchanges.
The bank said the structure helps maintain full compliance with anti-money-laundering and customer-verification rules. Fuze’s infrastructure also allows the bank to record and audit each transaction under standard financial-reporting procedures. Consequently, Ruya can integrate virtual-asset flows into its risk-management systems.
Both organizations issued public statements confirming the partnership. Ruya highlighted the ability to deliver Bitcoin investing through a familiar banking interface, while Fuze described the launch as a milestone for licensed digital-asset access in the region. Their joint communication framed the product as a regulated alternative to informal trading channels.
Regional Demand Fuels Expansion Into Digital Assets
Ruya’s announcement comes as digital-asset adoption accelerates across the Gulf. UAE regulators have expanded oversight frameworks through the Securities and Commodities Authority and Dubai’s VARA, giving banks and service providers clearer operating rules. Because of this, more financial institutions are exploring supervised crypto offerings for existing clients.
At the same time, family offices and wealth managers in the region continue to seek compliant Bitcoin exposure. While Ruya’s launch targets retail and wealth customers, the bank noted that its Shariah-compliant structure aligns with demands from clients who require formal governance standards. This positioning gives Ruya a foothold as regulated crypto access becomes more common in traditional finance.
For now, Bitcoin is the primary asset available in the app. However, Ruya has said it will evaluate additional virtual assets as the regulatory environment develops. The bank emphasized that each addition will undergo the same Shariah and compliance review applied to Bitcoin.