Islamic finance enters the digital service era

The recent announcement of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) to enter the #fintech era through a partnership with a digital-only bank is a good example how the times in the banking industry are changing. ADIB partnered with Fidor Bank to launch what it calls the GCC’s first 'community based digital bank', targeting the region’s 'millennials', or 'Generation Y', who are looking for digital banking offerings matching their life- and working style needs. Tirad al-Mahmoud, CEO of ADIB, said the bank's proposition would allow users to completely change the way they bank and manage their finances using digital technology to serve all their banking needs. For every financial transaction there are new digital services in development and the Islamic finance industry will have to follow suit. According to EY consultancy, it is not enough for Islamic banks to introduce new digital channels, they must completely reinvent their customer processes to offer technology-enabled, simple end-to-end experiences.