Wahed

Wahed Invest Ltd is a UK Shariah-compliant investment platform, directly authorised by the FCA (FRN 833225, since 30 January 2020). It runs a robo-advisor model with Shariah-screened global equities, sukuk and gold, and separately markets higher-risk real-estate and venture products. Maydan Capital Ltd (WahedX/Wahed Ventures) is reported as an appointed representative of Wahed Invest Ltd. Global AUM is reported at roughly $2bn across group entities (unverified).

The UK entity is directly FCA-authorised. Client assets are held with a custodian on a segregated basis under FCA rules. FSCS does not protect against market losses; cover for money or certain investment losses depends on the exact custody and contractual arrangements — check current documents. Note that the US affiliate Wahed Invest LLC has two settled SEC actions (Feb 2022, $300k and Nov 2024, $250k) relating to marketing, disclosure and compliance failings; the firm has stated these relate to the US business rather than the UK entity, but they are relevant to due diligence.

Investors complete a risk-profiling questionnaire and are allocated to one of several risk-tiered portfolios (Very Conservative through Very Aggressive) of Shariah-screened assets. Wahed manages allocations and rebalancing on a discretionary basis. Holdings are screened by an independent Shariah board.

Fees: tiered annual platform fee debited monthly — 1% p.a. up to £250k, 0.75% p.a. from £250k–£1m, 0.5% p.a. above £1m. Fund-level costs and market spreads apply on top and are reflected in fund prices. Wahed Real Estate has been described in some sources as charging a one-time acquisition fee of ~6% — confirm against current investor documents.

Reported historical returns (Feb 2021–Jan 2026, firm-provided): Very Aggressive portfolio 10% p.a.; Moderate portfolio 6% p.a. Historical, not forward-looking. Minimum investment is typically £100 for the managed portfolios.

Retail investors seeking Shariah-compliant, faith-based portfolios, or ethically minded investors comfortable with the screening rules (no conventional interest-bearing bonds, no alcohol/gambling exposure). Real-estate and venture products are illiquid and higher-risk — treat separately from the managed portfolios.

Strengths: direct FCA authorisation of the UK entity; clear, tiered headline fee schedule; broad range of Shariah-screened risk profiles.

Risks: US affiliate's SEC enforcement history (2022, 2024); recurring online complaints about withdrawal delays and customer service (individual and unverified); illiquidity and lack of a secondary market for real-estate and venture products; FSCS scope depends on custody arrangements.

A well-structured Islamic robo-advisor with a credible UK regulatory footprint. The managed-portfolio proposition is transparent and low-friction, and the tiered fee is easy to compare. The two watch-points are (1) the US affiliate's regulatory history — worth understanding even though it sits outside the UK entity — and (2) the very different risk profile of the real-estate and venture products, which shouldn't be mentally bundled with the liquid portfolios. Verify the current fee card and product terms directly on Wahed's site before committing.