What is halal investing?
Halal investing is investing in companies that are in line with Islamic principles of investing. A lot of conventional investment products aren't compliant. For example, profiting off debt is prohibited, so bonds and GICs are off the table for observant Muslims. Additionally, halal investing prohibits businesses that profit off certain activities, including alcohol, tobacco, gambling, pork, and weapons, among others.

What changes have been made to the Halal portfolios?
In Q2 2021, we made some updates to our existing Halal portfolio to improve diversification and risk management. The updated portfolio now includes a mixture of gold, non-interest bearing cash depending on your risk level, and our new Shariah-compliant Wealthsimple World Equity Index ETF.

Can you tell me more about Wealthsimple’s new Equity Shariah-compliant ETF?
The Wealthsimple Shariah World Equity Index ETF (WSHR) is passively managed and closely tracks the Dow Jones Islamic Market Developed Markets Quality and Low Volatility Index. The fund is comprised of high quality Shariah-compliant developed market stocks in a broad set of sectors. You can learn more about our new Equity Shariah-compliant ETF here.

How can I be confident that the portfolio and ETF is Shariah-compliant?
All of the investments in your portfolio are screened by a third-party Shariah compliance advisory firm.

Does the Halal Investing portfolio use bonds?
No. Conventional Bonds pay interest, which is not allowed under Islamic law. The Halal Investing portfolio uses non-interest-bearing cash and gold as diversifying assets where appropriate.

Have you considered including Sukuk (Shariah-compliant bonds) in the Halal portfolios?
Yes, we have considered Sukuk, as they have bond-like properties and lower risk levels, so they are an attractive potential diversifier. However, we currently have reservations about the liquidity and risk exposures of the Sukuks. Additionally, there are no reasonable or viable options available on the market except for a US listed Sukuk ETF, which is denominated in US Dollars and adds significant currency risk to the portfolios. We will replace cash with the Sukuk if a reasonable or viable option becomes available.

Is the gold portion in compliance with Shariah investing principles?
Yes. Any gold in your portfolio is added via an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that holds physical gold. A reputable shariah advisory firm reviewed the fund structure and documentation, and issued a Fatwa to certify that the fund complies with Shariah principles' requirements and the Accounting & Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) Shariah Standard on Gold.

Do you offer Dividend Purification?
Yes, dividend purification information is calculated by a third-party and is published on our website on a quarterly basis 10-15 days after distributions.

Will the Wealthsimple Shariah ETF be available on Wealthsimple Trade?
Yes, the Wealthsimple Shariah World Equity Index ETF (WSHR) is available on Wealthsimple Trade and other online brokerages.

As with all our portfolios on Wealthsimple Invest, we aim to provide suitable and diversified products that will help our clients reach their financial goals. In addition to a better risk managed portfolio, Wealthsimple Invest clients have access to our portfolio management team for financial advice. If you are considering transferring your Halal portfolio to Wealthsimple Trade, we recommend that you speak to a portfolio manager about your financial situation to determine what decision is best suited for you.