| By PR Newswire

Wahed, the world’s premier Islamic fintech and investment management firm, announced the introduction of an innovative suite of UCITS equity ETFs that merge Shariah compliance with an additional discretionary evaluation framework guided by Islamic values. Islamic values prioritize human rights protection and dignity, accountability for harm, and responsiveness to injustice—principles Wahed’s framework aims to maintain. This represents a pioneering advancement in the European ETF marketplace, where traditional Shariah screening is enhanced by a systematic assessment of wider values considerations. The Funds are established in Ireland and have obtained Central Bank of Ireland authorization.

Expanding Ethical Standards

The ETFs debut with two principal funds. Both funds will satisfy the strict requirements of Shariah compliance, including excluding prohibited industries such as alcohol, gambling, and conventional banking.

Additionally, Wahed implements an Islamic values-based Ethical and Human Rights Review encompassing three primary dimensions:

• Salience – the seriousness of potential human harm
• Responsibility – a company’s involvement in enabling or benefiting from harm
• Responsiveness – the company’s readiness to improve and engage

This discretionary enhancement facilitates a more values-oriented approach consistent with broader Islamic ethical principles. To conduct this evaluation, Wahed consults globally recognized, independent human-rights frameworks including:

• OHCHR (UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
• AFSC Investigate database (American Friends Service Committee)
• UFLPA Entity List (Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act)
• KLP Council on Ethics Exclusion List (Norway’s largest pension fund)

Mohsin Siddiqui, Chief Executive Officer at Wahed, explained that this additional dimension represents a natural extension of Islamic values. Principles including responsibility, human dignity protection, and pursuit of good are all founded in Shariah’s fundamental spirit. The ethical screening derives from the same values informing Shariah: responsibility, compassion, and an obligation to prevent harm. It brings those values into clearer perspective in the contemporary world.

Islamic Finance Innovators

Wahed, operating in the UK, US, Malaysia and the UAE, has already introduced numerous products in Islamic finance, including the first Shariah-compliant ETFs listed on the Nasdaq. With a worldwide client base exceeding 450,000 investors and over $1 billion in assets under management (AUM) throughout its entities, Wahed is acknowledged as a leader in democratizing ethical finance access. This new UCITS ETF suite expands upon that established reputation, advancing Wahed’s leadership into the European fund sector.

Active Management for Ethical Standards

Wahed’s UCITS ETFs are registered as actively managed, enabling the company to respond promptly to humanitarian issues and emerging information. This ensures the funds maintain alignment with Islamic values of accountability, justice, and human dignity protection.

About Wahed

Wahed is a global Islamic fintech organization dedicated to democratizing ethical investment access. Licensed in more than 10 countries, Wahed integrates advanced financial technology with Shariah principles to provide innovative products that harmonize with both faith and values. With over 450,000 clients worldwide and exceeding $1 billion in assets under management across its entities, Wahed is pioneering a new era of Islamic finance.

Source:

PR Newswire. (2026). Wahed launches pioneering UCITS ETFs with additional values-based screening combining Shariah principles and ethical oversight. PR Newswire.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wahed-launches-pioneering-ucits-etfs-with-additional-values-based-screen-considering-human-rights-and-injustice-302664408.html