Is ruya crypto friendly?
Yes for buying and selling Bitcoin inside the app, but it is a closed loop with no withdrawals to your own wallet.
CBL Score: 6 of 16
| Criterion | Score | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Accepts exchange transfers | partial (1) | unverified |
| Stablecoin off-ramp | no (0) | source · checked 8 September 2026 |
| Business accounts for Web3 | no (0) | source · checked 8 September 2026 |
| Custody | partial (1) | source · checked 8 September 2026 |
| Staking and yield | no (0) | source · checked 8 September 2026 |
| Card | yes (2) | source · checked 8 September 2026 |
| Multiple jurisdictions | no (0) | source · checked 8 September 2026 |
| Open to retail | yes (2) | source · checked 8 September 2026 |
Total 6 of 16. Yes scores 2, partial 1, no 0. A secondary source is press or a third party rather than the bank or its regulator. Unverified means no source could be found; the score stands until one is.
Standing
| Jurisdiction | UAE · Ajman |
| Type | Neobank |
| Health tag | Unknown Licensed and Shariah-governed, but launched in 2024 with almost no published financials yet. · checked 26 August 2026 |
| Last verified | 8 September 2026 |
If they close your account
Closure policy: Partial
| Notice | ruya may close an account for any reason at any time. In most cases it gives sixty calendar days' written notice and the reasons (clause 22.3). It can close without notice or reasons for persistent breach of terms, false information, suspected financial crime or fraud, illegal use, a court or regulator request, or where keeping the account open would breach its legal obligations. |
| Reasons given | Yes, the actual ground |
| Access to funds | Funds in the account at closure are paid to the customer by their preferred method or sent to a nominated account (clause 22.5). Where ruya initiates closure, a residual balance of AED 100 or less must be collected in cash within 30 days or may go to charity or be treated as unclaimed; above AED 100 ruya may issue a manager's cheque less fees (clause 22.6). A closing statement is issued within seven business days (clause 22.4). |
| Appeal | Complaints are acknowledged within two business days and a written final decision with reasons is given within 30 business days (clause 26.1). If unresolved, the customer may complain to the Central Bank of the UAE (clause 26.2). No separate appeal of a closure decision is described. |
| Names crypto as a ground for closure | no |
Sources: ruya Personal Banking Terms and Conditions (Version 7, May 2026), clauses 22 and 26 · official, checked 23 September 2026
A closure usually starts as a freeze. The Frozen Account Survival Kit covers the first 48 hours. Every bank side by side: which banks tell you why they closed your account.
What ruya allows and blocks
Allowed
- Buying and selling Bitcoin in the ruya app, executed by Fuze (Morpheus Software Technology FZE), a VARA licensed broker-dealer, licence VL/23/10/002
- Bitcoin investing reviewed and overseen by ruya's Shari'ah supervision committee
- Holding Bitcoin through Fuze under the bank's app, with the bank routing all money in and out of the position
- Free Mastercard debit card that works abroad, with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay
- Retail current, savings and kids accounts for UAE residents aged 18 and over, opened through UAE PASS
- Business accounts for UAE companies at AED 79 a month with no minimum balance
Blocked or restricted
- Withdrawing Bitcoin to a third-party wallet. Fuze's retail terms say the client will not have that right, except during a prolonged Fuze outage
- Depositing crypto from outside. All deposits and withdrawals of funds and virtual assets can only be routed through the bank
- Stablecoins. Only Bitcoin is named on ruya's investment page, and Fuze can change the accepted asset list at will
- Staking or crypto yield. Fuze provides an execution-only buy and sell service, and ruya's fiat deposits pay Mudaraba profit with no guaranteed rate
- Non-residents. Account terms require you to be a UAE resident
- No published policy on fiat transfers to or from crypto exchanges. Card use is limited to transactions legal in the UAE and compliant with Shari'ah
Opening an account
- Retail accounts are for UAE residents aged 18 or over. Sign-up runs through UAE PASS in the app and the bank says it takes under five minutes. Emirates ID is the identity document managed inside the app.
- The Bitcoin service needs an existing ruya account plus a Fuze account opened through the app. The bank shares your KYC file with Fuze and Fuze runs its own AML checks before you can trade.
- Standard retail accounts carry AED 40 a month unless you transfer a salary of AED 20,000 a month or keep an average balance of AED 10,000. Business accounts cost AED 79 a month with no minimum balance and open online in about 20 minutes.
- Business applicants need a trade licence, MoA and AoA, incorporation certificate, VAT certificate, board resolution, proof of address, six months of bank statements, and Emirates ID and passport for shareholders and signatories.
- The bank does not publish a minimum Bitcoin order size or who gets turned down for the crypto service. The FAQ on eligibility exists but its answer only loads in the app or on the live page.
Fees that matter
- Account fee AED 40 a month for standard retail accounts, waived with a AED 20,000 monthly salary transfer or a AED 10,000 average balance. Business accounts AED 79 a month.
- Bitcoin trading fees are not published as numbers. The bank claims the lowest fees in the market, and Fuze's terms say fees are shown in each order, exclude VAT, and can change by agreement between Fuze and the bank.
- Card FX markup is 3 percent of the transaction value on non-AED spending. Debit card issuance is free, a replacement card is AED 26.25.
- Local transfers cost AED 0.50 up to AED 50,000 and AED 1.05 above that. Foreign currency transfers cost AED 10.50. If Fuze ever lets you move Bitcoin out during an outage, you pay the network fee.
Regulatory history
| 2024 | Licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE as a national Islamic specialised bank in Ajman, register number 01.01.08.067.2024.04, and launched the same year source |
| 2025 | April: announced Bitcoin and virtual asset investments through Fuze, calling itself the first Islamic bank to do so. Press reports in May described a closed loop with cold custody at an ADGM custodian and an internal Shari'ah committee resolution source |
| 2025 | December: launched in-app Bitcoin buying and selling for customers, with oversight from the bank's Shari'ah supervision committee and Fuze as the licensed provider source |
See a mistake? Email hi@cryptobanklist.com. Every factual correction is logged on our corrections page.
Questions about ruya
Can I buy Bitcoin with ruya bank?
Yes. ruya customers can buy and sell Bitcoin inside the app. The service went live in December 2025 and is run by Fuze, a Dubai broker-dealer licensed by VARA. ruya's Shari'ah supervision committee oversees the offer, and only Bitcoin is listed.
Can I withdraw my Bitcoin from ruya to my own wallet?
No. Fuze's retail terms say you will not have the right to withdraw virtual assets to any third-party wallet, and all money and crypto moves through the bank. The one exception is a Fuze outage that blocks sell orders for a full business day, after which you can ask for a transfer out and pay the network fee.
Does ruya let me send money to Binance or Kraken?
The bank does not publish a policy on transfers to crypto exchanges. Its terms only say card spending must be legal in the UAE and compliant with Shari'ah. If you need this, ask the bank before opening an account.
Who can open a ruya account and what does it cost?
UAE residents aged 18 and over, through UAE PASS in the app. Standard accounts cost AED 40 a month unless you transfer a salary of AED 20,000 or hold an average of AED 10,000. Business accounts are AED 79 a month with no minimum balance. Bitcoin trading fees are not published as figures.
Closest alternatives
Yes for buying and holding crypto inside the app. Coins stay with the custodian, and there is no published route to an external wallet.8/16RAKBank
Yes. Crypto trading is built into the app, but it is a closed loop run by Bitpanda, and exchange transfer rules are not published.