Sarwa to Offer UAE Treasury Bills to Retail Investors via App

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Sarwa launches retail access to UAE Treasury Bills. Users can now invest directly in government-backed securities with ease.

Abu Dhabi-based fintech Sarwa is preparing to add UAE dirham-denominated Treasury Bills to its retail investment app as a new "safe yield" option.
The move builds on the Ministry of Finance's Retail Sukuk programme, which opened government-backed sovereign debt access from as little as AED 4,000.
Primary auction access is limited to licensed dealers; Sarwa would need to partner with an approved dealer or offer secondary-market linked products.
The new federal Capital Market Authority, effective 1 January 2026, holds oversight responsibilities for investor protection on retail sovereign instruments.
Sarwa is dual-regulated by the FSRA in ADGM and the DFSA, supporting its credibility as a retail intermediary for government-backed products.
Retail yields on T-Sukuk are currently quoted at around 3.6 to 3.7 percent, offering a competitive alternative to conventional bank deposits.

UAE Capital Market Authority and Sovereign Debt Infrastructure Underpin the Shift to Retail Access

The UAE's financial regulatory landscape has been reshaped by the establishment of the federal Capital Market Authority (CMA) under Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2025, effective from 1 January 2026. The CMA has been assigned oversight responsibilities for investor protection on retail sovereign instruments, working alongside the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), which acts as issuing and payment agent for federal debt. Together, these structures create the operational foundation needed to extend access to government securities beyond institutional investors.

The Ministry of Finance's Federal Debt Management Office (FDMO) publishes a transparent issuance programme covering Treasury bonds, M-Bills - short-dated dirham money-market instruments - and Islamic Treasury Sukuk, giving regulated intermediaries a clear framework for planning retail offerings. The government's Retail Sukuk programme, launched in October 2025, has already demonstrated strong demand for this type of access. Abu Dhabi-based fintech Sarwa is now preparing to extend that logic further into the wealthtech ecosystem.

What Sarwa Is Planning

Sarwa, regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) within Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), currently offers robo-advised exchange-traded fund (ETF) portfolios, self-directed US stock trading, crypto exposure, and short-term savings products. The platform is now preparing to add direct access to UAE dirham-denominated Treasury instruments as a "safe yield" option within the same app interface.

Third-party reviews of UAE investment platforms in 2026 consistently rank Sarwa as the leading app for beginner investors. Its dual-regulated status, straightforward onboarding process, and low entry thresholds have established it as a credible gateway for first-time retail participation in domestic capital markets. The firm already offers Sharia-compliant portfolios built from screened ETFs, suggesting demand exists for a halal-aligned sovereign fixed-income product on the same platform.

The Government Infrastructure That Makes It Possible

The UAE's sovereign debt market has expanded rapidly in recent years. The Ministry of Finance runs regular auctions of M-Bills with tenors of 28, 70, 154, and 322 days, settled on a T+2 basis and offered through a closed network of licensed dealers. Minimum denominations run into tens of millions of dirhams - which is precisely why retail investors have historically been unable to access these instruments directly.

The Retail Sukuk programme changed that calculus. Announced in October 2025, it allows UAE citizens and residents to invest in government-backed Islamic Treasury Sukuk (T-Sukuk) - Sharia-compliant sovereign instruments structured on principles such as Murabaha (cost-plus sale) and Ijara (leasing) - from as little as AED 4,000. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), Emirates NBD, and Emirates Islamic Bank are among the participating banks distributing T-Sukuk via their digital platforms. The Ministry of Finance has framed the initiative as part of its National Strategy for Islamic Finance, which targets cumulative sukuk issuance of around AED 660 billion by 2031.

How Retail Access Would Work Through a Fintech App

Under CBUAE tender rules, only approved primary dealers can submit bids directly in sovereign debt auctions. Other investors, including platforms like Sarwa, must route orders through these dealers. In practice, Sarwa would need to partner with an existing primary dealer or structure secondary-market access products linked to listed government paper - a model similar to how retail platforms in other markets distribute government bonds at sub-institutional ticket sizes.

If the Retail Sukuk entry threshold of AED 4,000 serves as a guide, the minimum investment would represent a substantial reduction from the USD 200,000 to 250,000 typically required at the institutional auction level. Current retail yields on T-Sukuk are quoted at around 3.6 to 3.7 percent, depending on tenor and auction conditions - competitive with, and in some cases above, standard bank savings rates.

What This Means for Retail Investors

Adding UAE Treasury Bills to Sarwa's app would give retail users a locally denominated, government-backed yield option alongside their existing equity and ETF holdings. Investors would no longer need to rely on foreign-currency money-market funds to generate returns on idle cash, reducing both currency risk and platform fragmentation. For Muslim investors, a Sharia-compliant T-Sukuk option within the same app would allow defensive allocations to remain halal without switching platforms.

There are important caveats. Capital is protected only if the instrument is held to maturity - investors selling before that point may incur losses depending on prevailing yields and secondary-market liquidity. Some issues may also be callable by the government before maturity. These risk disclosures apply equally to bank-distributed Retail Sukuk and to any fintech-intermediated equivalent.

Broader Significance for the UAE's Domestic Capital Market

The convergence of government auction infrastructure, bank-led Retail Sukuk distribution, and wealthtech-led Treasury Bill access supports the development of a dirham yield curve - a reference benchmark used by banks, asset managers, and corporate treasurers. Institutional demand for these instruments is already strong: an early 2025 Islamic Treasury bonds auction attracted bids of AED 6.91 billion against an issuance of AED 1.1 billion, according to Ministry of Finance data.

As retail flows grow, policymakers gain data on household savings behaviour and risk appetite. Platforms like Sarwa, meanwhile, can position themselves as full-spectrum domestic capital-market gateways - covering equities, ETFs, crypto, sukuk, and Treasury Bills within a single regulated digital stack. That breadth of product access, if delivered at low minimums and with transparent pricing, directly advances the UAE's stated goals of financial inclusion and a deepened domestic savings culture.

What Clients are Asking their Advisors

How will Sarwa give retail investors access to UAE Treasury Bills?

Sarwa is preparing to add UAE dirham-denominated Treasury instruments as a savings option within its existing app. Because primary auction access is restricted to licensed dealers, the platform is likely to partner with an approved primary dealer or offer products linked to listed government paper.

What is the minimum investment for UAE government T-Sukuk through a retail platform?

Under the Ministry of Finance's Retail Sukuk programme, investors can subscribe from AED 4,000 through participating bank apps. If Sarwa follows the same model, a similar low threshold is expected - significantly below the USD 200,000 or more required for institutional auction participation.

How does Sarwa's planned Treasury Bill offering differ from bank-distributed Retail Sukuk?

Bank-distributed Retail Sukuk are Islamic instruments available through apps from ADIB, Emirates NBD, and Emirates Islamic Bank. Sarwa's offering is expected to add both conventional Treasury Bills and potentially Sharia-compliant options within a single investment app that already covers equities, ETFs, and crypto.

What are the key risks of investing in UAE T-Sukuk or Treasury Bills as a retail investor?

Capital is protected only if the instrument is held to maturity. Selling before maturity may result in losses depending on prevailing yields and secondary-market liquidity conditions. Some issues may also be callable by the government before the stated maturity date.