UK FinTech operator Maydan Capital unveiled an equity crowdfunding platform on Thursday offering tech-focused investors vetted, early stage, ethical and halal investment opportunities.
The company’s fundraising platform aims to help early-stage companies in their initial stage of growth combat common funding barriers by promoting their investment opportunities to family offices, institutional, international and traditional investment communities.
Maydan, a subsidiary of global financial investment platform Wahed, which offers ethical and halal investing to 200,000 global customers including residents in the US, UK and the UAE, expects the majority of its deals to occur in the technology sector, with issuers pursuing capital raises with targets between $100,000 and $10 million.
Safdar Alam, chief executive of Maydan, said despite surging growth in institutional flows in money markets and the debt capital markets over the past few decades, the benefits to investors and entrepreneurs have lagged behind.
“An ethical investor has very little access to supporting growth businesses that align with their values, especially opportunities that have been highly vetted to a professional degree,” Mr Alam said.
“Our platform allows capital groups around the world to exponentially increase their exposure to quality, ethical opportunities in the tech market.”
The $2.4 trillion Sharia-compliant finance industry, which bans interest payments and pure monetary speculation, is expected to register growth of 10 to 12 per cent this year and next, according to S&P Global Ratings.
The industry grew by 10.6 per cent in 2020 on the back of higher-than-expected sukuk issuance, the rating agency said, with growth of 17.3 per cent in 2019.
Investors increasingly want to park their money in companies that are not only competitive but also ethical, with those investing through the Maydan platform offered access to both capital and deal flow.
Junaid Wahedna, chief executives of Wahed, said Maydan’s new platform marks a step towards Wahed’s aim to build an Islamic marketplace that meets the growing demand for socially conscious investors.
“Their position in our group ensures that growth companies can access a world-class platform connected to a very significant pool of ethically-minded investors and networks.”
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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