Public perception of the practice of buying and selling Digital gold in the perspective of Sharia Economic Law

This qualitative descriptive study examines public perception of digital gold trading practices from the perspective of Sharia Economic Law. Conducted in Mataram City, Indonesia, from January to March 2026, the study involved 10 purposively selected informants with diverse occupational, age, and educational backgrounds. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation, then analyzed using Miles and Huberman's interactive model and validated through source, technique, and time triangulation, member checking, and referential adequacy. Findings indicate that the majority of informants hold positive perceptions of digital gold trading, driven by transaction convenience, investment flexibility, storage security, and platform accessibility. Six factors shape these perceptions: knowledge level, technological ease, platform trust, security, sharia understanding, and social environment. Analyzed through Walgito's perception theory, these factors map onto cognitive, affective, and conative dimensions. Evaluated against Fatwa DSN-MUI No. 77/DSN-MUI/V/2010 and six sharia aspects (pillars and conditions of sale, contract, qabd, gharar, riba, and maysir), digital gold trading is conditionally permissible provided platforms comply with cumulative requirements: presence of real underlying assets, transparent contracts, verifiable constructive possession (qabd hukmi), and absence of riba, gharar, and maysir. The study contributes to Islamic economic law scholarship on digital transactions and offers practical implications for platform providers, regulators, and Muslim consumers.