What Sarwa does

Sarwa is a UAE-headquartered, ADGM-regulated (FSRA Category 3C) digital wealth platform founded in 2017 and operated by Sarwa Digital Wealth (Capital) Limited, headquartered at WeWork Hub71, Al Khatem Tower, Abu Dhabi Global Market, Al Maryah Island. The company serves UAE retail investors and expatriate residents through a single unified mobile and web application that bundles four product lines: Sarwa Invest (a Modern Portfolio Theory-based robo-advisor offering diversified low-cost Vanguard and BlackRock ETF portfolios in Conventional, Socially Responsible, Crypto, and Halal variants with smart rebalancing and dividend reinvesting), Sarwa Trade (self-directed trading of 10,000+ US stocks and ETFs with fractional shares, plus options trading launched in 2025), Sarwa Crypto (zero-commission crypto trading via an undisclosed provider, with free local AED transfers), and Sarwa Save (a high-yield cash product with 3.7% Save+ and 4% Halal tiers backed by money-market funds). Complementary services include a free Retirement Calculator, an on-demand human Wealth Advisory team for higher-tier clients, and an extensive Arabic and English financial-education blog and content library.

The underlying technology stack combines a Modern Portfolio Theory-driven portfolio optimization engine, automated rebalancing and dividend reinvesting, a tailored risk-profiling questionnaire that auto-constructs portfolios, and a unified order-execution and account-management infrastructure for self-directed trading, options, and crypto. Distribution is direct-to-consumer and fully digital through native iOS and Android apps and the sarwa.co website, with bottom-of-funnel conversion supported by WhatsApp-based human advisory and Calendly-booked wealth advisor calls for higher-AUM tiers. Revenue is generated through tiered AUM-based management fees on Invest (0.85% down to 0.4% for $5M+ Legacy tier), per-trade commissions on Trade ($1 or 0.25% with $4 per contract on options), bid-ask spreads on Crypto, and a 0.5% management fee on Save.

Sarwa is venture-backed, having raised $25M+ cumulatively across rounds including a $15M Series B led by Mubadala Investment Company in 2021, with co-investors including KIPCO, ADQ, DIFC Fintech Fund, 500 Global, Shorooq Partners, and others. The company reached profitability in 2024 and reported a second consecutive profitable year in 2025 with revenue more than doubling year-on-year; by Q4 2025 AUM reached $879.7M with cumulative trading volume exceeding $3B, and by May 2026 Sarwa became the first GCC-made fintech to cross $1 billion in client assets under management. The company is led by co-founders Mark Chahwan (CEO) and Nadine Mezher (Executive Board Director/CMO), along with co-founder/CTO Jad Sayegh, and the leadership team includes a Head of Wealth Advisory (Amen Ghebre), Head of Internal Operations (Elizabeth Donaghy), and Head of Operations (Hana Shashaa). Sarwa has stated plans to expand offerings across the broader GCC and MENA region beyond its current UAE-centric customer base.

Name

Sarwa

Legal name

Sarwa Digital Wealth (Capital) Limited

Website

https://sarwa.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sarwa is an ADGM-regulated (FSRA Category 3C) UAE digital wealth platform serving retail investors and expats via a unified mobile app that bundles robo-advisor investing, US stock/ETF/options trading, zero-commission crypto, and high-yield cash savings. The company reached profitability in 2024 and became the first GCC-made fintech to surpass $1B in client AUM in May 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Finance Services (6199), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Wealth Platforms for Advisors (TAMP/Advisor Tech) (FSAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Wallet Infrastructure (Tokenization, Wallet-as-a-Service) (FSAMAEAI)

Keywords

• Robo-advisory investing
• Self-directed trading
• Cryptocurrency trading
• High-yield savings
• Wealth management platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sarwa Invest - Portfolio Management Fees: Tiered annual management fee on AUM: 0.85% (Standard, <$100K), 0.7% (Platinum, $100K+), 0.5% (Private Wealth, $500K+), 0.4% (Legacy, $5M+). Minimum $7/month for the Standard tier. Recurring revenue tied to AUM growth.
2. Sarwa Trade - Stock & ETF Commissions: Per-transaction commissions of $1 or 0.25% of the traded value (whichever greater) for stocks, ETFs, and options. Options also carry $4 per contract commission. No custody, withdrawal, inactivity, or account-closing fees.
3. Sarwa Crypto - Spread-Based Revenue: Revenue from bid-ask spreads charged by crypto provider on cryptocurrency trades; no explicit commissions. Zero-cost AED local transfers and $500 account minimum.
4. Sarwa Save - Cash Management Fee: Flat 0.5% annual management fee on assets in Save+ and Halal savings products (underlying assets: Money Market Fund and Emirates Islamic Money Market Fund respectively). Estimated returns of 3.7% (Save+) and 4% (Halal) before management fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Sarwa is a UAE-based, ADGM-regulated (FSRA) fintech platform and mobile app that consolidates four products under one account: Sarwa Invest (a robo-advisor using Modern Portfolio Theory to build globally diversified ETF portfolios), Sarwa Trade (self-directed trading of US stocks, ETFs, and options with fractional shares), Sarwa Crypto (zero-commission crypto trading with instant AED deposits), and Sarwa Save (a high-yield cash savings account with no lock-ups). Higher-tier clients (from $100K AUM) also receive dedicated human wealth advisory support.

Product overview

Sarwa is a unified, multi-product fintech platform (not a single-product app) that consolidates four core financial offerings under one ADGM-regulated account: Sarwa Invest (robo-advisor with hands-off, MPT-optimized ETF portfolios), Sarwa Trade (self-directed trading of U.S. stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto), Sarwa Crypto (a $0-commission crypto trading product that is also accessible within the Trade app), and Sarwa Save (a high-yield cash account with no lock-ups, including Save+ and Halal variants). The platform is delivered through a regulated mobile app and web interface (256-bit SSL encryption), complemented by a free Retirement Calculator, on-demand human Wealth Advisory for higher tiers, and an educational blog/learning hub. The four products are tightly integrated: customers can hold ETFs and stocks in Trade, automated portfolios in Invest, crypto in Crypto, and cash in Save, all under one regulated entity (Sarwa Digital Wealth (Capital) Limited, regulated by the FSRA in ADGM with a Category 3C license and Retail Client endorsement).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sarwa Invest: Hands-off auto-investing product offering globally diversified, expert-built portfolios (Conventional, Socially Responsible, Crypto, and Halal).
• Sarwa Trade
• Sarwa Crypto
• Sarwa Save

Products and services

• Sarwa Invest Hands-off auto-investing product that builds a globally diversified portfolio of low-cost Vanguard and BlackRock index fund ETFs based on a customer's risk questionnaire. Offers Conventional, Socially Responsible (SRI), Crypto (5% Bitcoin), and Halal portfolio variants with smart rebalancing, dividend reinvesting, auto-deposits, and joint accounts. Minimum $7/month; $500 minimum balance for most variants. For UAE retail investors and expats.
• Sarwa Trade Self-directed trading platform for US stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies with no withdrawal or AED transfer fees. Provides access to 10,000+ US stocks and ETFs with fractional share support, market/limit/stop orders, real-time news, and 24/7 human support. $500 account minimum. For UAE retail investors and active traders.
• Sarwa Crypto $0 commission cryptocurrency trading on a regulated ADGM platform. Buy in bulk or fractions, market/stop/limit orders, real-time prices, free AED local transfers, and 24/7 access to top cryptocurrencies with competitive spreads. $500 account minimum. For UAE retail crypto traders.
• Sarwa Save High-yield cash savings account with no lock-ups, zero withdrawal fees, and a 0.5% annual management fee. Save+ tier targets a 3.7% estimated return on a Money Market Fund with very low risk; Halal tier targets a 4% estimated return on the Emirates Islamic Money Market Fund. Designed as an offshore, liquid alternative to UAE bank savings accounts.
• Sarwa Mobile App Native iOS and Android app that delivers the unified Sarwa Invest, Trade, Crypto, and Save experience in a single user interface. Secured with 256-bit SSL encryption, with real-time prices, instant execution, and 24/7 trading. For UAE retail investors.
• Sarwa Wealth Advisory On-demand human investment advisory service for higher-tier Sarwa clients, providing dedicated advisors for Platinum ($100K+ AUM), Private Wealth ($500K+ AUM), and Legacy ($5M+ AUM) tiers. Includes financial planning, bespoke portfolios, Black Swan protection, and direct WhatsApp access.

Quantifiable outcome

• First GCC-made fintech to reach $1B in client assets under management (May 2026)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Robinhood: US-listed commission-free retail broker and investing platform. Closest analog in product model (zero-commission trading + crypto + cash management + education) but at much larger global scale.
• Interactive Brokers: Global multi-asset broker serving retail and professional clients. Comparable on the Sarwa Trade product (US stocks, ETFs, options) and increasingly accessible to GCC residents, representing a well-capitalized incumbent.
• Charles Schwab: US incumbent broker with deep self-directed trading, advisory, and cash management offerings. Represents the type of well-capitalized incumbent Sarwa competes with on price and product breadth.
• eToro: Global multi-asset retail platform offering stocks, ETFs, crypto, and social trading. Comparable to Sarwa Trade and Sarwa Crypto products and actively expanding in the MENA region.

Direct peers

• Betterment: US-based pioneer robo-advisor using MPT-based diversified ETF portfolios with tiered management fees. Closest pure-play comparable to Sarwa Invest's automated, globally diversified portfolio construction.
• Wahed Invest: Global Halal-focused robo-advisor operating across the GCC, US, UK, and other markets. Directly comparable to Sarwa's Halal portfolio variant and shares the same retail Islamic wealth-management positioning in the region.
• Wealthfront: US robo-advisor offering automated, low-cost index-fund portfolios with rebalancing and tax optimization. Directly comparable to Sarwa Invest on portfolio construction, fee tiering, and target retail investor.
• StashAway: MENA- and Asia-focused digital wealth manager offering MPT-based robo-advisory portfolios to retail investors. Operates in the UAE under ADGM and competes head-to-head with Sarwa Invest on diversified, low-cost index portfolios.

Emerging players

• Trading 212: Commission-free retail trading app with stocks, ETFs, and CFDs. Comparable on the Sarwa Trade surface (fractional shares, low-cost execution) and competing for the same retail and expat investor segment in the GCC.
• Acorns: US micro-investing platform that bundles saving, investing, and education for entry-level retail investors. Comparable on Sarwa's product-led onboarding, education-led growth, and low-minimum auto-investing positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SarwaCo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SarwaCo
• Facebookfacebook.com/SarwaSocial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sarwa
• Instagraminstagram.com/sarwa.co

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors15 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sarwa