Dubai-based Sarwa, one of the MENA region’s first digital investment platforms, has surpassed $1 billion in client assets under management (AUM). The achievement marks a significant milestone, making Sarwa the first fintech platform founded in the UAE to reach this scale and signaling a growing appetite for retail investing across the region.
Quick Facts
- Surpassed $1 billion in client assets.
- First UAE-founded fintech to hit the milestone.
- Started in DIFC’s 2017 FinTech accelerator.
- Backed by Mubadala and DIFC FinTech Fund.
From Sandbox to Scale
Sarwa’s journey began in 2017 when it was selected for the inaugural FinTech accelerator program at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The company was the first to graduate from the Dubai Financial Services Authority’s (DFSA) regulatory sandbox and later received backing from the DIFC FinTech Fund, illustrating the critical role of local ecosystems in nurturing startups.
Mohammad Alblooshi, CEO of the DIFC Innovation Hub, commented on the journey: “DIFC has always been committed to creating an environment where FinTech innovators like Sarwa can thrive. Reaching $1 billion in client assets reflects Sarwa’s strong strategy and the fundamentals of DIFC as one of the world’s top five hubs for FinTech, which enables startups to scale across the UAE and region.”
Tapping an Underserved Market
The $1 billion AUM figure challenges early skepticism about the viability of retail investing in MENA. Sarwa’s founders believed the demand was always present but held back by a lack of trust, access, and simple products.
“When we started, many said retail investing would not work in MENA. They thought investors here were different. Crossing $1 billion in client assets proves otherwise,” said Mark Chahwan, Group CEO and Co-founder of Sarwa. “The demand was always there. What was missing was trust, access, and a simple product built by a great team. Retail investors in this region were underserved.”
Jad Sayegh, Co-founder and CTO, added that the rapid growth demonstrates compounding momentum once users begin their investment journey. “This achievement belongs to our clients. It’s their money, their portfolios, their growth. The speed at which we’ve reached this point shows how quickly momentum builds once people start investing,” he said.
Ecosystem Validation and Investor Confidence
Sarwa’s growth has been supported by major regional investors, including Mubadala, which led the company’s Series B funding round in 2021. This backing underscored Sarwa’s position as a key player in the UAE’s digital wealth landscape.
“Since our investment under the MENA Venture Capital Fund in 2021, Sarwa has continuously demonstrated how technology expands access to investing and supports participation in financial markets,” stated Ali Eid AlMheiri, Executive Director of Diversified Assets at Mubadala.
The company’s expansion within the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) also provided a regulated financial ecosystem aligned with international standards. Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM, said, “This milestone underscores the strength of Abu Dhabi’s financial ecosystem and the role ADGM continues to play in enabling high-growth fintech firms to scale with confidence.”
About Sarwa
Sarwa is a leading investing and money management platform on a mission to help everyone put their money to work. The one-stop app offers hands-off auto-investing with Sarwa Invest, do-it-yourself trading of stocks, ETFs, and crypto with Sarwa Trade, and Sarwa Save. Sarwa makes investing easy and affordable by using technology to drive down costs.
Source: Zawya
