Wahed introduces European UCITS ETFs that incorporate traditional Islamic screening alongside discretionary reviews focused on human rights, marking a first in combining faith-based investing with social responsibility.
Wahed has launched a pair of UCITS equity exchange-traded funds that the firm says combine traditional Shariah screening with an additional discretionary “Islamic values”-based review intended to address human-rights and humanitarian concerns. According to the announcement, the funds are domiciled in Ireland and have received approval from the Central Bank of Ireland, and will be listed on the London Stock Exchange via a white‑label arrangement with Waystone.
The company said the ETFs will apply standard Shariah exclusions , for example on alcohol, gambling and conventional banking , and then add an Ethical and Human Rights Review based on three discretionary dimensions: Salience (the severity of potential human harm), Responsibility (a company’s role in enabling or profiting from harm) and Responsiveness (the company’s willingness to improve and engage). Wahed said it references international human-rights frameworks in carrying out the overlay, including the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other independent lists and databases.
“This added layer is a natural extension of Islamic values. Principles like responsibility, the protection of human dignity, and the pursuit of good are all grounded in the very spirit of Shariah,” said Mohsin Siddiqui, Chief Executive Officer at Wahed, in the company statement. The firm also emphasised that the ETFs are actively managed so the investment manager can respond to new information and humanitarian concerns.
Wahed’s launch represents an attempt to broaden the remit of faith‑based screening beyond product-based exclusions to incorporate conduct and human-rights considerations. Industry commentary accompanying the launch characterised the pair as the first UCITS ETFs in Europe to explicitly combine Shariah compliance with an additional humanitarian and human‑rights screen, and noted the funds’ role as building blocks for core portfolios seeking faith-aligned exposure.
The new ETFs are reported to track established Shariah indices as their benchmarks, including an S&P 500 Shariah index and the Dow Jones Islamic Market International Titans index, extending earlier US-listed products from the firm. Wahed has previously launched Shariah‑compliant ETFs on Nasdaq and continues to present the UCITS range as part of a broader global product offering for faith-based investors. The company said it manages more than $1 billion in assets across its entities and serves over 450,000 clients.
Market participants will be watching how the discretionary values overlay operates in practice, including how transparency, escalation and engagement are handled when a portfolio holding triggers the review. The firm says it draws on recognised exclusion lists and investigative databases to inform decisions, but the adoption of a discretionary humanitarian screen raises familiar questions about consistency, third‑party verification and the potential for divergence between rule‑based index screens and active ethical judgements.
The move also follows a broader industry trend of layering ESG and human‑rights considerations onto rule‑based ethical frameworks. Observers noted that the white‑label launch via a fund platform is intended to speed market access and make Shariah‑compliant building blocks more widely available to European investors seeking both faith alignment and humanitarian considerations in their portfolios.
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wahed-launches-pioneering-ucits-etfs-with-additional-values-based-screen-considering-human-rights-and-injustice-302664408.html – Original press release. View link for all data
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wahed-launches-pioneering-ucits-etfs-with-additional-values-based-screen-considering-human-rights-and-injustice-302664408.html – Wahed, a leading Islamic fintech and investment manager, has launched two UCITS equity ETFs that integrate Shariah compliance with an additional discretionary review framework informed by Islamic values. This framework emphasises the protection of human rights and dignity, accountability for harm, and responsiveness to injustice. The funds are domiciled in Ireland and have received approval from the Central Bank of Ireland. The ETFs exclude prohibited sectors such as alcohol, gambling, and conventional banking, and apply an Islamic values-based Ethical and Human Rights Review across three key dimensions: Salience, Responsibility, and Responsiveness. Wahed references globally respected, independent human-rights frameworks, including the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the American Friends Service Committee, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, and Norway’s largest pension fund’s Council on Ethics Exclusion List. The funds are actively managed to ensure alignment with Islamic values of accountability, justice, and protection of human dignity.
- https://www.wahed.com/news/introducing-our-most-ethically-screened-investment-funds – Wahed has introduced two flagship UCITS ETFs that apply additional Islamic values-based ethical screening, complementing standard Shariah compliance. This approach considers not only the products companies sell but also their global actions, addressing human rights violations and injustices. The funds track the S&P 500 Shariah Index and the Dow Jones Islamic Market International Titans 100 Index, offering investors a more holistic and morally aligned portfolio. This initiative marks a significant evolution in Wahed’s mission to create inclusive and accessible investment opportunities for faith-based investors.
- https://etfexpress.com/2026/01/19/wahed-launches-shariah-ucits-etfs/ – Wahed has announced the launch of two UCITS ETFs designed to integrate Shariah compliance with an additional humanitarian and human rights screen. This dual framework is the first of its kind in the European ETF market, setting a new ethical standard for responsible investing. The funds, listed on the London Stock Exchange, have been launched via Waystone’s white label ETF platform and are domiciled in Ireland. The new funds – the Wahed S&P 500 Shariah UCITS ETF and the Wahed Dow Jones Islamic World UCITS ETF – provide investors with simple, cost-efficient access to fully Shariah-compliant building blocks for core portfolios.
- https://www.waystone.com/wahed-launches-worlds-first-ucits-etfs-that-combine-shariah-compliance-with-humanitarian-criteria/ – Wahed has launched two UCITS ETFs that integrate Shariah compliance with an additional humanitarian and human rights screen. This dual framework is the first of its kind in the European ETF market, setting a new ethical standard for responsible investing. The funds, listed on the London Stock Exchange, have been launched via Waystone’s white label ETF platform and are domiciled in Ireland. The new funds – the Wahed S&P 500 Shariah UCITS ETF and the Wahed Dow Jones Islamic World UCITS ETF – provide investors with simple, cost-efficient access to fully Shariah-compliant building blocks for core portfolios.
- https://kraneshares.com/kraneshares-launches-kwin-an-alternative-income-index-etf-with-wahed-invest-llc/ – Krane Funds Advisors, LLC announced the launch of the KraneShares Wahed Alternative Income Index ETF (Ticker: KWIN) on the New York Stock Exchange. KWIN is an alternative income ETF sub-advised by Wahed Invest LLC. KWIN is designed for investors seeking option income or alternatives to earning traditional interest. KWIN will take long equity positions while simultaneously selling a call and buying a put for each long position. The option strategy is designed to provide a delta-neutral outcome, meaning it is not sensitive to the direction of the underlying stock’s price.
- https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/wahed-debuts-first-shariah-compliant-and-esg-aware-etf-on-nasdaq-2022-01-07 – Wahed has launched the Nasdaq’s first Shariah-compliant and ESG-aware ETF, the Wahed Dow Jones Islamic World ETF (UMMA). UMMA complements Wahed’s U.S. equity-focused Wahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF (HLAL), which debuted on the Nasdaq in 2019, by seeking to provide U.S. investors exposure to international securities that meet the Shariah-compliant criteria. The global exposure afforded by UMMA may significantly increase the long-term investment fund landscape for investors who faith-based restrictions may have historically limited. The Fund will benchmark to the Dow Jones Islamic Market International Titans 100 Index, a data-driven index owned and maintained by S&P Dow Jones Indices, is designed to measure the stock performance of the largest ex-U.S. companies that have passed rules-based screens for adherence to Shariah investment guidelines.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on January 19, 2026, and has been reported by multiple reputable sources, including Wahed’s official website ([wahed.com](https://www.wahed.com/news/introducing-our-most-ethically-screened-investment-funds?utm_source=openai)) and Waystone ([waystone.com](https://www.waystone.com/wahed-launches-worlds-first-ucits-etfs-that-combine-shariah-compliance-with-humanitarian-criteria/?utm_source=openai)). The earliest known publication date of substantially similar content is January 19, 2026, indicating freshness. No significant discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The direct quote from Mohsin Siddiqui, CEO of Wahed, appears in the original press release ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wahed-launches-pioneering-ucits-etfs-with-additional-values-based-screen-considering-human-rights-and-injustice-302664408.html?utm_source=openai)) and is consistent across multiple sources. However, the absence of independent verification of this quote raises concerns about its authenticity. No online matches were found for this specific quote, making independent verification challenging.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The primary source is a press release from Wahed, which is inherently self-promotional and may lack independent verification. Secondary sources, such as Waystone ([waystone.com](https://www.waystone.com/wahed-launches-worlds-first-ucits-etfs-that-combine-shariah-compliance-with-humanitarian-criteria/?utm_source=openai)) and ETF Express ([etfexpress.com](https://etfexpress.com/2026/01/19/wahed-launches-shariah-ucits-etfs/?utm_source=openai)), provide additional coverage but may still rely on the original press release. The lack of coverage from major news organisations or independent financial analysts diminishes the overall reliability of the information.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The launch of Shariah-compliant ETFs with an additional human rights screen aligns with industry trends towards ethical investing. However, the novelty of this specific combination in the European market and the absence of similar offerings from other major financial institutions raise questions about its practicality and demand. The lack of independent verification of the claims made in the press release further diminishes the plausibility of the narrative.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents a press release from Wahed announcing the launch of two UCITS ETFs with an additional human rights screen. While the content is fresh and the quotes are consistent across multiple sources, the reliance on a self-promotional press release without independent verification raises significant concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the information. The lack of coverage from major news organisations or independent financial analysts further diminishes the credibility of the narrative. Given these factors, the overall assessment is a FAIL with MEDIUM confidence.