Is Revolut Halal? Revolut, Wise, Monzo and Starling for Muslims

Revolut is not Sharia-certified, but most scholars would allow a Muslim to use its current account for spending, transfers and currency exchange, because the account itself pays no interest. What you should avoid are the features that do pay or charge interest: Revolut’s Savings and money market products, borrowing, and leveraged trading. The same logic applies to Wise, Monzo and Starling. The app is fine for everyday banking; a few of its features are not.

Below we go through each app feature by feature, then cover what scholars actually disagree about.

The principle: what makes a bank account a problem

From a fiqh point of view, an account is a problem for three reasons:

1. You receive interest on your balance (riba).
2. You pay interest, for example on an overdraft, loan, credit card or buy-now-pay-later plan.
3. You use it for something impermissible, such as gambling, or leveraged speculation that falls under maysir.

A plain current account that pays no interest and that you keep in credit avoids all three. That is why many UK scholars allow conventional current accounts where an Islamic one is impractical. Darul Ifta Birmingham, for example, has advised that a basic non-interest current account may be used for holding and accessing funds, with any interest received unintentionally given away to charity.

The remaining question is whether you are responsible for what the bank does with your money behind the scenes. Most scholars say not when there is genuine need and you are not party to an interest contract. Stricter scholars prefer you use an Islamic bank where you can. That is a real difference of opinion, so ask someone you trust.

Revolut

Revolut became a fully licensed UK bank in March 2026 and is moving customers from its e-money company to the new bank in phases. Once you are moved, eligible deposits are FSCS-protected. Check in the app which entity you are with (checked November 2026).

Revolut savings vaults and how to avoid interest. Revolut’s Savings tab is designed to earn interest, and the app promotes it heavily. If you want to put money aside within Revolut, use a Pocket or Vault that is not linked to an interest-paying savings product, or simply keep the money in your main balance. Check the settings for any vault that shows a rate or “earns”. If it earns interest, it is not interest-free. Better still, move your savings to a Sharia-compliant savings account and earn expected profit instead.

Trading. Revolut’s stock trading can be used in a halal way if you only buy screened companies or Islamic ETFs, hold for the long term and avoid anything leveraged. A dedicated halal platform makes this easier; see halal investing in the UK.

Our view: Revolut works well for Muslims as a spending, travel and currency account, especially for sending money abroad. Treat its savings and money market tabs as off-limits. See our full Revolut review for fees and plans.

Wise

Wise is primarily a money transfer and multi-currency account. You pay a transparent fee for a service, which raises no riba issue.

Interest and Stocks are opt-in. If you have switched a balance or Jar to Interest, you can switch it back to Cash at any time. Then purify whatever interest you received.

For international transfers: Wise is usually one of the cheapest ways to send money to family abroad because it uses the mid-market exchange rate. See how it compares in Wise vs Revolut and our UK to Pakistan guide.

Monzo

Monzo has no Islamic product, but its standard pots are just labelled parts of your balance. Use them for budgeting without the savings versions.

Starling

Starling stopped paying interest on current account balances in February 2025, so the current account itself is now interest-free. Its Easy Saver and fixed savers pay interest, and the overdraft charges it. Use Spaces (Starling’s version of pots) without linking them to a saver.

Quick comparison

Crypto and trading features: what scholars say

Crypto. There is no settled position. Some scholars treat major cryptocurrencies as permissible digital assets that can be bought and held. Others say they are too speculative, lack intrinsic value or are mainly used for gambling-style trading. Almost all agree that leveraged crypto trading, “earn” or staking products with fixed yields, and lending crypto for interest are not acceptable. If you do hold crypto, keep it small, avoid leverage and ask a scholar.

Share trading. Fine in principle if you buy screened companies and invest rather than gamble. Avoid short-selling, options, CFDs and margin.

Stock lending and “earn on idle cash” settings. Several apps offer these. They usually involve interest or interest-like income, so leave them off.

If you have already earned interest in one of these apps

1. Switch off or close the interest-paying feature.
2. Find the total in your statements or the app’s tax summary.
3. Give that amount to charity without counting it as Zakat or sadaqah. This is the mainstream view; scholars differ on details.
4. Remember interest still counts as taxable income for HMRC, even if you give it away.

Should you use an Islamic bank instead?

If you can, many scholars would prefer it, and you can earn expected profit on savings rather than nothing. In practice a lot of UK Muslims use both: an Islamic bank for savings and home finance, and an app like Revolut, Monzo or Wise for spending and transfers. That gives you the convenience of the apps and a halal home for your savings.

For the full picture, including student loans, pensions and Zakat, read our Islamic finance guide. For a personal ruling on your accounts, speak to a qualified scholar.