CUSP Wealth marks first year with 29% Emirati investor base and two-thirds of portfolio investors choosing halal

CUSP Wealth, the DFSA-regulated company named Entrepreneur Middle East’s Startup of the Year 2026, marks the first anniversary of its investment platform. Over the past year, the CUSP Wealth app has been installed more than 70,000 times, and new client onboarding grew sevenfold between Q1 and Q3 2026.

A year of firsts: what the data shows

Starting from scratch: 6 in 10 users had never invested before joining. For most, CUSP Wealth wasn't where they moved a portfolio. It was where they started one.

A homegrown community: Emiratis make up 29 per cent of CUSP Wealth investors, alongside investors from 68 nationalities.

Values first: 2 in 3 investors in CUSP's personalised portfolios chose the Shariah-compliant version, a sign that faith-aligned investing is a starting point for many, not a niche.

Backing technology: 7 in 10 investors bought tech stocks, and NVIDIA was year one's most-bought stock, bought by 4 in 10 investors.

Guidance makes a difference: Half of the clients who spoke to a CUSP financial advisor felt confident about investing.

Support that stands out: 9 in 10 clients rate CUSP's support as Great or Amazing.

"I want to begin by thanking every person who has trusted us over the past year," said Ramesh Murthy, Senior Executive Officer at CUSP Wealth.

"For many of them, this was their first time investing, and choosing who to trust with that first step is not a small decision. We don't take it lightly. Our investors are the reason we exist and our main motivation to keep getting better, and their feedback has shaped much of what we've built," Murthy pointed out.

"From the start, we built CUSP Wealth on a simple model: let technology do what it does best, and make sure a qualified person is there when it matters," Murthy continued.

"AI helps our investors research and understand their options. Our investment team designs the portfolios. And our advisors bring context and reassurance at the moments that count. Year one has shown us that people don't want to choose between technology and human guidance. They want both, whatever their starting point."

From Startup of the Year to year two

The milestone follows CUSP Wealth's recognition as Startup of the Year 2026 by Entrepreneur Middle East at the Tech Innovation Awards 2026. The CUSP Wealth platform is certified by an official Fatwa from Amanie Advisors, and the screening methodology is overseen by an independent Shariah Supervisory Board.

"Year one was about first steps," added Murthy. "Year two is about helping our investors take the next ones, with the right tools, the right guidance and the confidence to keep building. We'll keep listening to them every step of the way."

Figures are based on CUSP Wealth's internal, anonymised and aggregated platform data from launch to October 15th 2026. 

Disclaimer

This release is for information only and reflects aggregated client behaviour. It is not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security, including those named. Investments involve risk, and the value of your capital may go down as well as up. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

*Advisory calls are only available to clients who meet the suitability assessment required by CUSP Wealth. This platform offers both conventional and Shariah-compliant investment products. Shariah-compliant products are offered through our Islamic Window and are supervised by our independent Shariah Supervisory Board. Cusp Wealth Ltd is regulated by the DFSA under Category 4 license number 10863, reference number F011420, with a DFSA-issued Islamic Endorsement. CUSP Wealth's services are offered from the DIFC.