#Brexit suspense casts shadow over #UK as an Islamic finance hub

Uncertainty over the UK’s future status as a financial hub after leaving the European Union (EU) is already casting a shadow over London’s Islamic finance sector. It is estimated that London would lose at least 10,000 banking jobs and 20,000 roles in financial services as clients move €1.8tn of assets out of the UK. The banking exodus would also hit the Islamic finance sector in London, which is the largest globally in a non-Muslim jurisdiction. London currently hosts more than 15 large banks that operate Islamic finance windows and dozens of related service providers. A banking lobbying group has already urged the UK government to introduce post-Brexit laws that make sure that demand for Islamic finance services does not diminish. As long as the UK gives no clear direction whether and how it would excel as a financial hub, competitors will continue positioning themselves as alternative locations. Within the EU, Luxembourg and Dublin, and partly Frankfurt, have good chances to take on roles as Islamic finance hubs for Islamic finance institutions with business in the EU.