Drivers and barriers to mass adoption of Islamic unit trust funds in Malaysia: a qualitative study

Purpose Despite the recent exponential growth in the number of Islamic Unit Trust (IUT) funds, along with increases in assets under management and new account openings in Malaysia, a substantial portion of potential investors remains hesitant to adopt these funds. This paper aims to uncover the barriers and catalysts to the mass adoption of IUT funds. It presents new research that identifies and examines the key factors influencing Malaysian investors’ attitudes toward these funds. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a qualitative approach, analyzing 19 semi-structured interviews with experienced management representatives from fund management companies that market IUT funds to investors in Malaysia. Findings The study identifies both impediments and catalysts affecting the mass adoption of IUT funds. Key impediments include issues related to wealth, fund performance, doubts about Shariah compliance, risk aversion and limited product knowledge. Conversely, catalysts for adoption include a robust regulatory framework, government support, well-established educational programs and awareness campaigns and effective differentiation and diversification strategies. Research limitations/implications The study considers only the supply side and does not include the inputs of investors or policymakers and regulators. Therefore, more studies need to be conducted to analyze the views of the latter stakeholders. Practical implications The research is useful for fund management companies and for regulators and policymakers as it provides insights into the barriers to the mass adoption of IUT funds, enabling them to tailor their product offerings and development strategies to better address the concerns of potential investors and align with their needs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is one of the first qualitative studies on the adoption of IUT funds by Malaysian investors. The study confirms that wealth, fund performance and Shariah compliance are crucial drivers of IUT fund adoption in Malaysia. These findings are consistent with existing literature, which highlights the significant influence of these three factors on investor behavior.