Monday 08 / September / 2025
Muscat: The Islamic Finance News (IFN), in partnership with the Financial Services Authority (FSA), hosted the IFN Oman Forum.
The forum brought together regulators, policymakers, and industry leaders from the Sultanate of Oman, the Federation of Malaysia, and counterparts worldwide, underscoring Oman’s growing profile as a hub for sustainable investment and cross-border Islamic finance.
The discussions focused on the continued growth of Islamic banking, capital markets, and investment management in Oman, as well as the expanding role of Waqf in supporting the country’s economic transformation. Experts highlighted the importance of robust regulatory support and strategic initiatives to sustain growth, noting Waqf’s potential as a powerful tool to diversify financing, unlock new investment opportunities, and strengthen Oman’s broader Islamic finance ecosystem.
Speaking at the forum, Ahmed Ali Al Mamari, Executive Vice President of the FSA, underlined the depth and resilience of Oman–Malaysia relations, spanning trade, economy, education, tourism, defence, and culture. He highlighted the opportunities presented by Oman Vision 2040 and the Invest Oman platform for Malaysian investors, emphasising Oman’s strong financial position.
Al Mamari further noted that the forum had laid the groundwork for a cross-border investment corridor, to be advanced through bilateral meetings with sovereign wealth funds, the Central Bank of Oman, the Muscat Stock Exchange, and the FSA.
Meanwhile, Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi, Chairman of the Securities Commission Malaysia, offered a regional perspective, emphasising ASEAN’s strength. This, he said, positions ASEAN among the fastest-growing economic blocs in the world. He stressed the value of strengthened cooperation with Oman, as a way to advance both countries’ ambitions for inclusive and sustainable growth.
By bringing together high-level stakeholders from across the GCC and ASEAN, the IFN Oman Forum 2025 reinforced Oman’s standing as a rising centre for Islamic finance, while mapping out practical pathways for regulatory modernisation, capital flows, and investment partnerships that support long-term prosperity.
