BankIslami wins Euromoney award for Islamic digital banking

Euromoney named BankIslami Pakistan’s Best Islamic Digital Bank, marking the lender’s second straight year of recognition. The award underscores the bank’s push to expand Shariah-compliant digital banking through core system upgrades, AI adoption and its new mobile-first platform, aik.

Why it matters: - BankIslami’s latest Euromoney recognition signals growing competition in Pakistan’s Islamic banking market around digital service, not just branch presence. - The award also points to rising demand for Shariah-compliant banking that is easier to use on mobile devices. - BankIslami’s push matters because the bank is positioning digital tools as a path to broader financial inclusion.

What happened: - Euromoney recognised BankIslami as Pakistan’s Best Islamic Digital Bank on July 13, 2026. - The award marked the second consecutive year of recognition from Euromoney. - BankIslami previously received Euromoney recognition as Best Islamic Bank in Pakistan. - The announcement credited the bank’s focus on innovation, technology-led growth and wider access to Shariah-compliant banking.

The details: - In early 2025, BankIslami upgraded its core banking system to iMAL R-14. - The bank moved to a centralized, API-enabled platform. - More than 70% of customer interactions became digital-first after the upgrade. - BankIslami deployed artificial intelligence across internal functions. - The bank digitized a significant share of internal operations, workflows and communications to improve efficiency. - BankIslami launched aik, Pakistan’s first fully digital Islamic banking platform. - The platform is designed for digitally savvy and Shariah-conscious users. - aik is a mobile-first platform built to deliver a seamless banking experience.

Between the lines: - The award suggests BankIslami is trying to define Islamic banking in Pakistan as a digital product category, not only a religiously compliant one. - The bank’s messaging ties technology spending directly to customer access, which is a strategic way to frame digital investment as both commercial and social impact. - The repeated recognition from Euromoney gives BankIslami external validation while it competes to stand out in a crowded financial sector.

What's next: - BankIslami is likely to keep investing in technology and digital innovation to deepen customer adoption. - The bank appears set to expand the reach of aik and other digital services as it pushes for wider financial inclusion. - Future progress will likely be measured by how quickly the bank converts its digital upgrades into broader user growth and service uptake.

The bottom line: - BankIslami is using digital banking to strengthen its position in Pakistan’s Islamic finance market, and Euromoney’s second straight award suggests the strategy is gaining traction.