Tabadulat vs Sarwa: Which Platform Is Right for Muslim Investors?

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The UAE has quietly become one of the most competitive markets for digital investing platforms in the world. And for Muslim investors in the region, the choice has never been wider, or more important to get right.

Sarwa is one of the UAE's best-known fintech names, headquartered in Abu Dhabi and regulated in ADGM. Sarwa is an all-in-one investment app covering trading, automated portfolio management, and cash-saving solutions.

Tabadulat is a full-stack Halal brokerage, built from the ground up around AAOIFI-compliant investing, with Shariah compliance embedded at every layer of the platform, not offered as a portfolio option, but built into the foundation.

Both are regulated in ADGM. Both serve Muslim investors in the UAE and wider GCC. But what they actually offer those investors, and how deeply Shariah principles run through each platform, are meaningfully different. This guide breaks it all down.

What Is Sarwa?

Sarwa is an all-in-one investment app covering trading, automated portfolio management, and cash-saving solutions. Its product suite has expanded significantly over the years and today covers four distinct areas:

• Sarwa Invest, A hands-off, robo-managed ETF portfolio matched to your risk level. Sarwa handles the building, rebalancing, and dividend reinvestment automatically, making it ideal for long-term, passive investors.
• Sarwa Trade, A self-directed trading account giving you access to US stocks, ETFs, and options directly from your mobile device.
• Sarwa Crypto, A dedicated module for buying and selling major cryptocurrencies within the same app.
• Sarwa Save, A USD cash management account designed to generate a competitive estimated return on uninvested funds, with both a conventional and a Halal version available.

Sarwa's Halal Portfolio

Sarwa does offer a Halal investing option within Sarwa Invest. Its Halal portfolios only invest in assets that follow Islamic investing principles. According to Sarwa's official blog and product page, the Halal portfolio is made up of BlackRock iShares Islamic ETFs, the Franklin Templeton Global Sukuk Fund, and a gold ETC, which substitutes for real estate given that no Shariah-compliant real estate ETF is currently available. Together, these assets cover nearly 1,000 individual investment holdings across stocks and geographies.

Sarwa exclusively uses BlackRock iShares Islamic funds, including ISDU (US equities), ISDW (global developed world equities), and ISDE (emerging markets), that invest in companies fully compliant with Islamic investment principles. BlackRock also provides a purification report for each ETF.

For Sarwa Trade, the platform has introduced a Shariah Screener tool. When enabled, a Halal badge appears on assets considered Shariah-compliant based on third-party screening. The Shariah Screener is turned off by default. Sarwa obtains Shariah screening data from a third-party provider, Musaffa LLC, a US SEC-registered investment adviser.

Important note: Sarwa's own website footer states: "Sarwa does not hold an Islamic Window endorsement from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA). Clients are advised to conduct their own due diligence to ensure that investments align with their personal requirements."

Sarwa's Pricing

Sarwa charges management fees on a tiered basis for Sarwa Invest, billed on a monthly basis. As of June 2026, the fee tiers are as follows:

• Standard (under $100,000): 0.85% annually (minimum $7/month)
• Platinum ($100,000 and above): 0.70% annually
• Private Wealth ($500,000 and above): 0.50% annually
• Legacy ($5,000,000 and above): 0.40% annually

For Sarwa Trade, fees on stocks and ETFs are $1 per trade or 0.25% of the traded amount, whichever is greater. US options trading is also available (options trading carries significant risk and may not be appropriate for all investors).

Sarwa Save and Returns

Sarwa Save (Save+) allows users to earn an estimated return on their savings. As of June 2026, the projected annual return for the standard Save+ product is 3.7% before fees, through investment in the Pictet Short-Term Money Market Fund. Sarwa charges a 0.5% management fee and 0.25% fund expense on this product.

Sarwa also offers a Halal version: Sarwa Save Halal invests funds in the Emirates Islamic Money Market Fund (Emirates Islamic MMF), which is designed to generate returns through Shariah-compliant money market instruments. The projected annual return is 4% before fees (with a 0.25% fund expense ratio and Sarwa's 0.5% management fee on top). Investors who specifically select the Halal version can avoid riba on idle cash, but it requires an active choice at account setup.

Sarwa's Regulatory Status

Sarwa Digital Wealth (Capital) Limited is regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) in the ADGM, holding a Category 3C license with a Retail Client and Holding and Controlling Clients Investments and Money Endorsement. Its registered address is 16-104 & 16-114, 16th Floor, Hub71, Al Khatem Tower, Abu Dhabi Global Market, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE. The platform states that client assets are held in global custody with top-tier banks.

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What Is Tabadulat?

Tabadulat is a full-stack, self-directed Halal brokerage platform, purpose-built and regulated by the FSRA in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). Where Sarwa offers Halal as a portfolio choice within a broader platform, Tabadulat is built around one principle from the ground up: "100% Halal, 0% Compromise."

On Tabadulat, there is no conventional option, no crypto account, and no interest-bearing savings product. Every asset on the platform is pre-screened against AAOIFI standards. Every compliance decision is governed by a mandatory Shariah Supervisory Board. Halal investing is not a tab you select; it is the entire platform.

Tabadulat's Key Offerings

• Screen 40,000+ Shariah-compliant stocks and ETFs across global markets
• AAOIFI-based screening methodology, continuously applied to every listed asset
• Free Halal stock screening for life, no subscription, no paid tiers
• Real-time alerts the moment any asset's Shariah status changes
• Built-in zakat and purification calculators soon
• Zero platform fees, with commissions starting from 0% on US stocks
• No riba generated on uninvested user cash, structurally, not just by policy
• Full Financial Services Permission from the FSRA under ADGM's dedicated Islamic Finance Rulebook
• Trading across US markets now, with UK, European, GCC, and Asian markets coming soon

Tabadulat's Shariah Governance

As an AAOIFI member, Tabadulat participates directly in developing the global Shariah standards it applies, not just adopting them. Its Shariah Supervisory Board (SSB) is a regulatory requirement under ADGM's Islamic Finance Rulebook, not a voluntary credential. The SSB must publish an annual compliance report, providing investors with an independent, externally verified layer of scholarly oversight across every product on the platform.

Tabadulat vs Sarwa: Head-to-Head Comparison

Information based on publicly available disclosures as of June 2026. Verify current details directly with each platform.

The Key Differences Explained

1. Halal as a Foundation vs Halal as a Feature

This is the central difference between the two platforms, and it shapes everything else.

Sarwa is a multi-product platform. It offers conventional portfolios, socially responsible investment portfolios, Halal portfolios, and Bitcoin portfolios; it is a matter of what speaks to you. The Halal option is genuine and well-constructed, but it sits alongside conventional, crypto, and SRI options as one of several choices a user makes at onboarding. Sarwa also does not hold an Islamic Window endorsement from the FSRA, and advises clients to conduct their own due diligence regarding Shariah alignment.

Tabadulat has no conventional option. No crypto portfolio. No interest-bearing products of any kind. The entire platform is built around Shariah compliance, which means the investor never has to choose between a Halal and a non-Halal path, because only one path exists.

For Muslim investors who want a platform where their faith shapes every decision the platform makes, not just the portfolio type they select, that structural difference matters.

2. Who Manages Your Investments

Sarwa Invest is a robo-advisor. It uses technology to make investing simple. You can log in to track your investments or put them on cruise control and never think about them again. It relies on automatic rebalancing, goal-based planning, and modern portfolio theory to maintain a consistent risk profile over time. For investors who want professional, automated management without daily involvement, this is exactly the point.

Tabadulat is self-directed. You choose your own Halal stocks and ETFs from a universe of 40,000+ instruments, execute your own trades, and build your portfolio according to your own view of the market. The platform provides the screening intelligence, real-time compliance alerts, and zakat tools, but the investment decisions are yours.

The right model depends entirely on how involved you want to be. Neither is a shortcoming; they serve different investor profiles.

3. Screening Depth and Real-Time Compliance

Sarwa's Halal portfolios are built from a curated selection of BlackRock Islamic ETFs, the Franklin Templeton Sukuk Fund, and a gold ETC, a small, carefully chosen set of instruments that have already been certified Halal at the fund level. BlackRock provides a purification report for each ETF. For the passive investor, this works well.

For Sarwa Trade users who want to invest in individual stocks, the approach is different. The Shariah Screener is turned off by default and relies on third-party data from Musaffa LLC. Not all assets are covered by Shariah screening data, and some assets may not have compliance reports available.

Tabadulat's screening covers 40,000+ individual stocks and ETFs, applied continuously against AAOIFI standards. Real-time alerts notify investors the moment any holding changes its compliance status. The investor never needs to toggle a screener on, check manually, or wonder whether their data is current; the platform monitors compliance on their behalf, automatically.

4. The Cash Question

For Shariah-conscious investors, how uninvested cash is handled is never a minor detail.

Sarwa Save+ generates an estimated return of approximately 3.7% per year (before fees) through a money market fund (Pictet Short-Term Money Market Fund). Sarwa also offers a Halal alternative: Sarwa Save Halal invests funds in the Emirates Islamic MMF, which generates returns through Shariah-compliant money market instruments, with a projected annual return of 4% before fees. Investors who specifically select the Halal version can avoid riba on idle cash, but it requires an active choice.

Tabadulat takes a structurally different approach to idle cash. Rather than generating interest, Tabadulat will introduce soon Murabaha deposits, an Islamic savings structure based on real, asset-backed trade rather than a debtor-creditor lending relationship. In a Murabaha deposit, Tabadulat acts as the investor's agent to purchase a Shariah-compliant asset (such as a commodity), then sells it to a third party at a pre-agreed profit margin. The investor receives their original capital plus that fixed profit at the end of the term, no riba, no uncertainty, no compromise. Returns are predictable, fully disclosed, and backed by a real transaction. Murabaha deposits are currently coming soon to Tabadulat, giving Muslim investors a Halal alternative to conventional cash savings that is transparent, stable, and structurally free from interest at every stage.

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5. Fees: Annual AUM Fee vs. Zero Platform Fee

Sarwa charges annual management fees ranging from 0.85% (Standard, under $100K) down to 0.70% (Platinum, $100K+), 0.50% (Private Wealth, $500K+), and 0.40% (Legacy, $5M+). For a passive investor with a managed portfolio, this is transparent and reasonable; it covers rebalancing, management, and platform access in one clean fee.

Tabadulat charges no management fee and no platform fee of any kind. Free Halal screening is available to all users for life. Trading commissions start from 0% on US stocks, with very low commissions on other global markets as they are added. For investors building and holding a growing portfolio, Tabadulat's model means no recurring annual charge simply for having your money on the platform, costs scale only with activity, not with balance size.

6. Regulatory Governance and Shariah Oversight

Both platforms are regulated by the FSRA within ADGM, a shared and important baseline. The distinction lies in how Shariah governance is structured at each platform.

Tabadulat's Shariah Supervisory Board is a legal requirement under ADGM's Islamic Finance Rulebook, a dedicated regulatory framework that imposes specific governance obligations on licensed firms conducting Shariah-compliant activities. The SSB must publish an annual compliance report, independently verifiable by any investor. As an AAOIFI member, Tabadulat also helps shape the global standards that define what Halal investing means, not just applying them as a reference.

Sarwa's regulatory authorisation is as a conventional investment manager under FSRA oversight. Sarwa explicitly states on its platform that it does not hold an Islamic Window endorsement from the FSRA. The Halal portfolio and screening features are additions the platform has chosen to build, credible and well-intentioned, but not part of a dedicated Islamic Finance regulatory mandate.

Which Platform Is Right for You?

Choose Tabadulat if:

• You want a platform where Shariah compliance is the foundation, not a portfolio option
• You want to choose your own Halal stocks and ETFs from 40,000+ screened instruments globally
• You will not accept riba flowing through your uninvested cash at any point
• You want real-time compliance alerts when any holding changes status
• You want zero management fees, no annual AUM charge simply for being on the platform
• You want a Shariah Supervisory Board mandated by law, with annual public compliance reporting

Choose Sarwa if:

• You prefer a fully managed, automated portfolio with no daily involvement
• You want a UAE-based robo-advisor
• You are comfortable selecting the Halal portfolio option within a multi-product platform
• You want the option to combine Halal investing with DIY stock trading in one app
• You are aware of and comfortable with the fact that Sarwa does not hold an Islamic Window endorsement from the FSRA

Conclusion

Sarwa and Tabadulat both serve Muslim investors in the UAE and beyond, but from genuinely different starting points.

Sarwa is a well-built, well-regulated platform that has made real efforts to serve Halal investors, from its BlackRock Islamic ETF portfolios (supplemented by the Franklin Templeton Sukuk and a gold ETC) to the Emirates Islamic MMF savings product, for investors who want a managed, hands-off investing experience and are comfortable choosing the Halal path within a broader platform. Sarwa delivers a credible and accessible service. Investors should note, however, that Sarwa does not hold an Islamic Window endorsement from the FSRA and recommends that clients conduct their own Shariah due diligence.

Tabadulat is built for Muslim investors who want Shariah compliance to be the platform itself, not an option within it. With 40,000+ AAOIFI-screened instruments, real-time compliance alerts, zero riba on idle cash, built-in zakat tools, no platform fees, and a Shariah Supervisory Board mandated by ADGM's Islamic Finance Rulebook, Tabadulat offers a more integrated, more transparent, and structurally deeper Halal investing experience.

For investors who hold the principle of "100% Halal, 0% Compromise" as non-negotiable, Tabadulat is built for you.

Start investing in Tabadulat, screen for free, trade with confidence.

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Disclaimer:

This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or Shariah advice.

Regulated by the ADGM FSRA.Capital at Risk. Not Investment advice.

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