This article reflects sources available as of October 2026.

Muhammadiyah sees it as permissible, with limits. The final decision is yours, ideally after asking a scholar you trust.

Below you can see what MUI, Muhammadiyah, and other bodies say, how some assets have been assessed by different parties, and what you should check yourself.

Key Points

• There is no single halal or haram answer that all scholars agree on.
• MUI (Ulema Assembly 2021): crypto is haram as a means of payment. Its trading as a commodity is invalid, unless it meets the sil'ah conditions, has an underlying asset, and a clear benefit.
• Muhammadiyah (March 2026): the default ruling for crypto transactions is permissible, but limited. Interest-bearing leverage, futures, and short selling are prohibited.
• As of August 2026, DSN-MUI has not issued a new fatwa specifically on sharia crypto assets.
• Spot trading is not automatically halal. The asset and the way you trade still need to be assessed.
• Mobee is not a fatwa body and does not issue sharia certification. The final decision is yours and the scholars you trust.

The MUI View: 2021 Ulema Assembly Decision

The most cited reference is the Decision of the 7th Indonesian Ulema Assembly of the MUI Fatwa Commission, November 2021. It has three main points on crypto assets:

• Crypto as currency or a means of payment is haram, because it contains gharar (uncertainty) and dharar (harm), and conflicts with Law No. 7 of 2011 and Bank Indonesia Regulation No. 17 of 2015.
• Trading crypto as a commodity or digital asset is invalid, because it contains gharar, dharar, and qimar (gambling), and does not meet the sil'ah conditions.
• Crypto that meets the sil'ah conditions, has an underlying asset, and a clear benefit may be traded.

So MUI does not give one label to all crypto. What matters is the function and characteristics of the asset. Sil'ah refers to the conditions for goods that may be validly traded: physical form, value, a clear quantity, ownership, and the ability to be delivered to the buyer. How these conditions apply to each crypto asset is for scholars to decide, not Mobee.

Note that this is a 2021 assembly decision. According to Bisnis.com on 12 August 2026, industry players are still pushing DSN-MUI to issue a fatwa specifically on sharia crypto assets, which means a new fatwa does not exist yet. Check official MUI sources again before you decide.

The Muhammadiyah View (March 2026)

In March 2026, the Muhammadiyah Council for Tarjih and Tajdid issued a fatwa titled "Crypto as a Digital Financial Asset". Muhammadiyah is a different body from MUI, and its view differs in several respects:

• The default ruling for trading and investing in crypto is mubah (permissible), but limited (muqayyad). A transaction can become haram if its object or mechanism violates sharia.
• Conditions: the object is not tied to haram activity, the asset has a clear economic use (not just a speculative instrument such as a meme coin), and it is free of Ponzi or pyramid schemes.
• Prohibited: futures trading, margin trading or interest-bearing leverage, market manipulation such as pump and dump, and short selling, in both spot and futures markets.
• Crypto may not be used as a means of payment in Indonesia, because the rupiah is the only legal tender.

Other Views in the Islamic World

Outside Indonesia, scholars and institutions also differ. A Halal Focus summary notes that the Grand Mufti of Egypt and Turkey's Diyanet tend to consider crypto impermissible, while the Sharia Review Bureau in Bahrain (2018) and the Sharia Advisory Council of the Securities Commission Malaysia permit it with conditions. Because the source is secondary, treat this as a picture of differing views, not a list of fatwas you can use directly.

Spot Trading: Easier to Assess, but Not Automatically Halal

Spot trading means buying or selling an asset at the current market price, with ownership transferring once the trade settles. There are no interest-bearing loans and no leverage. Both are among the things Muhammadiyah prohibits, so in terms of mechanism, spot trading is easier to assess than futures or margin trading.

But mechanism alone is not enough. There are three reasons:

• MUI (2021) still requires sil'ah, an underlying asset, and a clear benefit for traded assets.
• Muhammadiyah (2026) prohibits short selling, including in spot markets.
• The asset you buy still needs your own assessment: its use, and whether it is tied to haram activity.

Also read our crypto trading tips and crypto trading risk management before you trade.

Examples of Crypto Assets and the Sharia Assessments Published About Them

There is no official MUI list of "halal crypto assets". What exists are assessments by specific sharia bodies or screeners, with different methods and dates. Here are examples with their sources. This is not a buy recommendation and not a fatwa from Mobee. Assessments can change, so check the source and its date.

1. Bitcoin (BTC)

Bitcoin is the most debated. The Sharia Review Bureau (Bahrain, 2018) and the Sharia Advisory Council of the Securities Commission Malaysia permit investing in crypto such as BTC and ETH with conditions, while other bodies do not (source: Halal Focus summary). In Indonesia, BTC falls under the 2021 MUI decision framework and Muhammadiyah's 2026 view above. Read more about Bitcoin.

2. XAUT (Tether Gold)

XAUT is a token backed by physical gold. According to Tether, each token represents one troy ounce of gold stored in Swiss vaults. Cointelegraph (27 July 2026) reported that Amanah Advisors gave a Shariah certification to the XAUT structure: fully backed by physical gold, no interest, no leverage, and transparent reserves. This certification assesses the token's structure, it is not a MUI fatwa, and it does not automatically apply to how you trade. Learn about XAUT.

3. Islamic Coin (ISLM)

Islamic Coin was developed with a claim of sharia compliance. According to an Entrepreneur Asia Pacific article (8 November 2022), the project has a Shariah board led by Sheikh Dr. Nizam Yaquby, and nearly 10 percent of each coin issuance goes to Evergreen DAO for Islamic-themed projects or charity. These claims come from the project and the article's contributor, and we have not matched them with an independent source. See Islamic Coin.

4. Ethereum (ETH)

In August 2019, Amanie Advisors, chaired by Dr. Mohamed Ali Elgari, concluded that Ether is sharia-compliant because it works as a utility token that runs the network (source: Decrypt, 28 August 2019). The conditions: it is not used to earn interest (riba), and the assessment is reviewed if ETH is used as a means of payment. Amanie also asked for the proof-of-stake mechanism to be reviewed, and Ethereum moved to proof-of-stake in 2022, so the 2019 assessment does not automatically apply today. The ruling is also not legally binding.

5. Cardano (ADA)

We have not found an official sharia body decision for ADA. Islamic Finance Guru once included it in its screening list, as mentioned in an IFG forum thread (2021), but we have not checked the current list and staking can change the assessment. Treat this as an initial pointer, not a conclusion.

6. Stellar (XLM)

Islamic Finance Guru describes Stellar as one of the first blockchain networks to receive sharia certification from the Shariyah Review Bureau, and considers XLM halal (article updated 1 November 2024). This assessment comes from one screener and one certification body, so other scholars may hold a different view.

7. Polygon (POL, formerly MATIC)

Polygon migrated its token from MATIC to POL on 4 September 2024, so the asset is now called POL. We have not found a published sharia assessment specifically for POL. Old assessments for MATIC do not automatically apply to POL. If you want to use this asset, ask a scholar or sharia screener you trust.

Summary Table of Assessments by Asset

FAQ About Halal Crypto

Is all crypto haram?

There is no single answer for all crypto. Under the 2021 MUI Ulema Assembly decision, crypto as a means of payment is haram and its trading as a commodity is invalid, unless it meets the sil'ah conditions, has an underlying asset, and a clear benefit. Muhammadiyah (2026) sees the default ruling as permissible, with limits. Because views differ, ask a scholar you trust.

What is spot trading, and is it automatically halal?

Spot trading is buying or selling an asset at the current market price, with ownership transferring once the trade settles. Spot trading uses no interest-bearing loans or leverage, but that does not make it automatically halal. The type of asset, clarity of ownership, benefit, and any element of riba, gharar, or maisir still need to be assessed. Muhammadiyah also prohibits short selling in spot markets.

How do I assess a crypto asset from a sharia perspective?

The criteria in this article's sources can serve as a starting checklist: the asset has a clear use, is not tied to haram activity such as gambling, is free of Ponzi or pyramid schemes, has an underlying asset where relevant, has clear ownership, and is traded without riba, interest-bearing leverage, or market manipulation. This checklist is not a fatwa. For a final decision, consult a scholar.

Is Bitcoin halal?

There is no single answer. Some bodies permit it with conditions, for example the Sharia Review Bureau in Bahrain (2018), while others do not, such as Egypt and Turkey according to a Halal Focus summary. In Indonesia, MUI (2021) declared crypto haram as a means of payment and ruled its trading valid only if it meets sil'ah, an underlying asset, and a clear benefit. Muhammadiyah (2026) sees the default ruling as permissible, with limits. The result depends on the view you follow, so ask a scholar you trust.

Where can I do spot crypto trading in Indonesia?

Choose a platform that is licensed and supervised by OJK, gives clear fee information, and has adequate security. PT CTXG Indonesia Berkarya, the operator of Mobee, is licensed and supervised by OJK, and Mobee offers a Spot Trade feature. An OJK license is not a sharia-compliance assessment, so you still need to make that assessment yourself with a scholar.

What is the ruling on crypto trading in Islam?

Views differ. MUI (2021) ruled trading crypto as a commodity or digital asset invalid, unless it meets the sil'ah conditions, has an underlying asset, and a clear benefit. Muhammadiyah (March 2026) sees crypto trading as permissible with limits, and prohibits futures, interest-bearing leverage, short selling, and pump and dump schemes. So the ruling depends on which body or scholar you follow, the type of asset, and how you trade.

Is crypto halal or haram according to MUI?

Under the Decision of the 7th Indonesian Ulema Assembly of the MUI Fatwa Commission (November 2021), crypto is haram as a means of payment, and its trading as a commodity is invalid unless it meets sil'ah, has an underlying asset, and a clear benefit. According to Bisnis.com (12 August 2026), DSN-MUI has not yet issued a new fatwa specifically on sharia crypto assets.

Conclusion

• Crypto has no single ruling that all scholars agree on. MUI (2021) and Muhammadiyah (2026) hold different views.
• The body you follow, the type of asset, and how you trade all shape the assessment.
• Spot trading is easier to assess because it has no interest-bearing loans or leverage, but it is not a guarantee of being halal.
• Assessments of assets such as XAUT, ETH, or XLM come from specific parties at specific times. Check the source and date, then ask a scholar you trust.
• Crypto prices can rise and fall quickly, so also weigh the risks before you decide.

Spot Trade at Mobee

Mobee is operated by PT CTXG Indonesia Berkarya, which is licensed and supervised by OJK. Once you have decided with a scholar you trust, you can look at Spot Trade at Mobee to buy and sell crypto assets in rupiah. Mobee does not assess or guarantee the sharia compliance of any asset. Install the Mobee app to get started, and only use funds you can afford to put at risk. Also read about crypto staking and crypto tax.

Sources

• Decision of the 7th Indonesian Ulema Assembly of the MUI Fatwa Commission (2021), summarized in Hukumonline: Cryptocurrency, Halal or Haram and ANTARA West Java, 11 November 2021. Indonesian-language sources.
• Bisnis.com, 12 August 2026: Awaiting a MUI Halal Fatwa for Sharia Crypto Assets. Indonesian-language source.
• Hukumonline, 7 March 2026: Muhammadiyah on Crypto Investment and InvestorTrust, March 2026. Indonesian-language sources.
• Halal Focus: Is Bitcoin Halal or Haram.
• Cointelegraph, 27 July 2026: Tether XAUT Gold Token Receives Shariah Certification.
• Entrepreneur Asia Pacific, 8 November 2022: Islamic Coin.
• Decrypt, 28 August 2019: Ethereum is halal.
• Islamic Finance Guru: Cardano and Stellar (XLM).
• Polygon Labs: MATIC to POL migration, 4 September 2024.

Disclaimer

This article is for information and education only. It is not a fatwa, sharia certification, legal advice, or investment advice. Mobee does not assess the halal status of any particular asset. Crypto asset prices can rise and fall quickly, including the risk of losing all your funds. Do your own research and consult a scholar or adviser you trust before making a decision.