International Investment Bank B.s.c. (c)

What International Investment Bank B.s.c. (c) does

Ajyad Capital B.S.C. (c), formerly International Investment Bank B.S.C. (c), is a Bahrain-based Shari'ah-compliant investment firm established in 2003 and headquartered in Manama, Bahrain. In April 2021 the firm converted its license from a wholesale bank to a Central Bank of Bahrain Category 1 Islamic Investment Business Firm and rebranded under new management. Ajyad Capital operates three business lines: (1) Investment Management, deploying Shari'ah-compliant alternative investments in real estate, private equity, and private credit across Europe, North America, the GCC, and North Africa; (2) Brokerage services covering regional equities and sukuk trading; and (3) the eMYAA digital trading platform, launched in October 2025, providing access to global and regional exchanges including NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX, Saudi Tadawul, DFM, and Bahrain Bourse. The firm's technology stack combines its own deal-sourcing and fund management capabilities with white-label infrastructure from Velexa (wealthtech), EXANTE (global market access and prime brokerage), and Ratings Intelligence (Shari'ah compliance screening). Ajyad Capital holds a Broker-Dealer authorization from Bahrain Bourse and is governed by an independent Shari'ah Supervisory Board.

The firm's revenue model combines recurring asset-based management fees, performance fees, and carried interest from alternative investment vehicles with transaction-based brokerage commissions and emerging platform fees from eMYAA. Its primary customer base consists of institutional investors, family offices, sovereign entities, and high-net-worth individuals, with eMYAA extending reach into mass-affluent and retail investors across the GCC. Since inception Ajyad Capital has executed over $3.4 billion in alternative investments, with a portfolio that has historically spanned real estate in France, Germany, the UK, Bosnia, the UAE, and the US, aircraft leasebacks, and minority equity stakes. Recent strategic emphasis has shifted toward US multifamily real estate (anchored by the May 2026 acquisition of Siena on Westheimer Apartments in Houston for approximately $50 million), digital wealth management, and ecosystem partnerships that expand technological and geographic reach.

The firm is led by CEO Suhail Hajee (joined 2018), with a Board chaired by H.E. Khaled Abdul Karim Al Fahim (appointed 2025). Recent senior appointments include Head of Investments Farid Bassyouni (October 2025) and Head of WealthTech Yaqoob Albalooshi (March 2025), supporting the build-out of both traditional investment and digital platform capabilities.

Name

International Investment Bank B.s.c. (c)

Legal name

Ajyad Capital B.S.C. (c)

Website

https://ajyadcapital.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ajyad Capital B.S.C. (c) is a Bahrain-based Shari'ah-compliant investment firm offering alternative investment management, brokerage, and the eMYAA digital trading platform for institutional, family office, sovereign, and high-net-worth clients across the GCC and globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Islamic Investment Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239), Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSABAGAG

Islamic Investment Banking & Capital Markets Services

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Islamic Banking

SECONDARYFSABAGAC

Islamic Corporate Banking

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Islamic Banking

SECONDARYFSABAGAH

Shariah-compliant Financing Products (Murabaha, Ijara, Tawarruq, Istisna, Salam)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Islamic Banking

SECONDARYFSABAGAD

Islamic Private Banking & Wealth

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Islamic Banking

SECONDARYBPAHAOAE

Equity Capital Advisory (Private Equity Placements, Growth Capital)

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/M&A, Transaction & Restructuring Advisory

SECONDARYBPAHAOAL

Capital Markets Advisory (IPO Readiness, SPAC, ECM/DCM Advisory)

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/M&A, Transaction & Restructuring Advisory

Keywords

• Shari'ah-compliant investments
• Alternative investment management
• Islamic asset management
• Private equity brokerage
• Real estate investment management

Headquarters

HQ city

Manama

HQ country

Bahrain

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Investment Management Fees: The firm earns fees from managing Shari'ah-compliant alternative investments including private equity, real estate, private credit, and structured debt. Revenue is generated through management fees, performance fees, and carried interest from investment vehicles.
2. Brokerage Services: Facilitating Shari'ah-compliant trading in stocks, sukuks, across regional markets for institutions and individuals. Revenue generated through trading commissions and fees on securities transactions.
3. Digital Platform Services: Through the eMYAA platform, the firm provides digital trading services with competitive deposit and trading fees, generating revenue from transaction fees and potentially subscription tiers for premium features.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

International Investment Bank B.s.c. (c), operating as Ajyad Capital, is a Bahrain-based Shari'ah-compliant investment firm providing discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, brokerage, capital raising, and fund placement services across real estate, private equity, and private credit. The firm also operates the eMYAA digital trading platform, offering mobile access to Shari'ah-compliant investment products for retail investors.

Product overview

Ajyad Capital operates as a Shari'ah-compliant investment management platform offering a unified portfolio of products and services. The core offering consists of three main pillars: (1) Investment Management encompassing Real Estate, Private Equity, and Private Credit alternative investments; (2) Brokerage services for trading in stocks and sukuks across GCC markets; and (3) eMYAA, a proprietary digital trading platform providing access to regional and global markets with built-in Shari'ah compliance features. The firm connects investors with opportunities across private markets, facilitated by the Capital Raising and Fund Placement team. Established in 2003 as International Investment Bank (IIB), the firm has executed over $3.4 billion in alternative investments and was rebranded to Ajyad Capital in 2021 following CBB license conversion to a Category 1 Investment Firm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• eMYAA: Shari'ah-compliant digital trading platform providing access to global markets, enabling investors to trade stocks, sukuks, ETFs, FX, and commodities through mobile and web applications.

Products and services

• Investment Management Discretionary and non-discretionary investment management across Shari'ah-compliant asset classes for institutional clients, family offices, sovereign entities, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Brokerage Services Execution of trades on regional and international exchanges for Shari'ah-compliant securities, offered through the firm's Bahrain Bourse membership.
• eMYAA Digital Trading Platform A bilingual (Arabic/English) mobile-first trading platform that enables individual investors to discover, evaluate, and trade Shari'ah-compliant investment products with integrated ratings and research tools.
• Real Estate Investment Management Management of Shari'ah-compliant real estate investment vehicles and direct real estate opportunities for institutional and qualified investors.
• Private Equity and Private Credit Origination, structuring, and management of Shari'ah-compliant private equity and private credit opportunities for institutional and qualified investors.
• Capital Raising and Fund Placement Capital raising, syndication, and fund placement services that connect institutional issuers and managers with regional and international investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• $3.4 billion in alternative investments executed since establishment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 November 2025Ajyad Capital participated in Singapore FinTech Festival 2025 as part of Kingdom's pavilion hosted by Bahrain EDB. Firm represented by Head of WealthTech alongside national delegation.
• EXANTEcoreTechnology or Integration · 28 September 2025Prime global brokerage partnership extending Ajyad's global reach. EXANTE provides access to wide range of financial instruments in international markets through Ajyad's upcoming digital investment platform. Partnership enables GCC investors to access global capital markets via Shari'ah-compliant platform.
• Bahrain Bourse (BHB)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 September 2025Authorized as a Broker-Dealer by Bahrain Bourse. Strategic move strengthening market accessibility and expanding services available to investors. Supports Bahrain Bourse's strategy to diversify market participants, increase liquidity, and foster robust capital market environment.
• Ratings IntelligencecoreTechnology or Integration · 24 August 2025UK-based provider of Shari'ah advisory services partnership. Integrates advanced Shari'ah-compliance technology including screening, monitoring, and purification into Ajyad Capital's digital trading application. Provides industry-defining Shari'ah screening tech and data capabilities for GCC investment market.
• BADA (Bahrain Association for Disability and Autism)minorOthers · 5 March 2025Ramadan partnership gifting employees baskets of fresh vegetables from Agriculture Centre for Vocational Training (ACVT). Initiative supporting vocational training and sustainable agriculture, reflecting commitment to inclusivity and Sustainable Development Goals.
• VelexacoreTechnology or Integration · 18 December 2024Strategic alliance to revolutionize investing in the GCC region. Velexa provides cutting-edge WealthTech tools and AI-driven customizable wealth management platform. Jointly launching a modern Shari'ah-compliant investing and trading application for Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar. Ajyad Capital's network provides Velexa's institutional customers access to GCC markets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arcapita: Bahrain-based Islamic investment firm focused on private equity, real estate, and infrastructure. Comparable as a GCC-rooted Islamic alternative-investment manager with cross-border execution capabilities, and shares several board-level alumni with Ajyad.
• Rasmala Investment Bank (formerly European Islamic Investment Bank / EIIB): Bahrain-headquartered Shari'ah-compliant investment bank offering investment management, advisory, and brokerage across the GCC and Europe. Ajyad previously held an indirect equity stake in EIIB/Rasmala, and the two are structurally closest in mandate, geography, and regulatory perimeter.
• Amanat Holdings (formerly Shuaa Capital): Dubai-listed GCC investment platform with private equity and credit verticals, formerly Shuaa Capital. Comparable as a GCC-listed investment firm spanning alternative investments and capital markets services in the region.
• Kamco Invest: Kuwait-based regional investment company offering asset management, investment banking, and brokerage. Comparable as a GCC-rooted, Shari'ah-compliant investment firm with a multi-pillar platform similar to Ajyad's.
• Gulf International Bank (GIB): GCC-headquartered wholesale investment bank owned by GCC governments, offering investment banking, asset management, and brokerage. Comparable as a Bahrain-rooted, GCC-focused investment banking platform serving similar institutional and government-linked clients.
• Gulf Finance House (GFH): Bahrain-based Islamic investment bank listed on Bahrain Bourse, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Comparable as a Bahrain-headquartered Islamic investment firm offering asset management, private equity, and treasury/placement services to GCC clients.

Broad incumbents

• Al Rajhi Capital: Investment arm of Al Rajhi Bank, the largest Islamic bank globally. Comparable as a large, well-capitalized Shari'ah-compliant investment management and brokerage platform serving GCC investors.
• Emirates NBD Asset Management: UAE-headquartered banking group with substantial Shari'ah-compliant investment management and brokerage offerings. Comparable as a much larger incumbent offering overlapping capabilities (investment management, brokerage, digital channels) across the same GCC investor base.
• Saudi Fransi Capital: Investment banking and brokerage arm of Banque Saudi Fransi, active in Saudi and broader GCC capital markets. Comparable as a regional incumbent offering brokerage and asset management services to GCC institutional and HNW clients.

Emerging players

• Sarwa: UAE-based digital wealth and brokerage platform offering retail investors access to US and regional markets. Comparable as a digitally native GCC wealth platform targeting mass-affluent and retail investors — the same segment Ajyad targets with eMYAA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ajyadcapital
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ajyad-capital

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 International Investment Bank B.s.c. (c)