Beyond Bitcoin: Developing a Hybrid Shariah-Compliant Blockchain Model for Islamic Finance – Empirical Evidence and Simulation Analysis

Abstract

Purpose:The rapid growth of cryptocurrencies has revealed a significant disconnect between speculative digital assets and the ethical principles of Islamic finance.Bitcoin's volatility, three to four times higher than traditional equity indices, along with its energy-intensive mining process, directly contradict Shariah principles emphasizing stability, asset-backing, and minimization of gharar (excessive uncertainty).This study addresses the gap between blockchain technology's potential and the requirements of Islamic financial systems by proposing and empirically testing a Shariah-compliant digital finance model.Design/Methodology/Approach: A mixed-method approach was employed, integrating a PRISMA-guided systematic literature review, panel data analysis of 100 fintech firms from 2018 to 2024, and Monte Carlo simulation.Fixed-effects regression was used to assess the impact of blockchain adoption on financial performance (ROA, ROE) in both Islamic and conventional fintech firms.The simulation evaluated the efficiency of a Hybrid Shariah Blockchain Model for tokenized waqf (Islamic endowment) operations.Findings: Results indicate that blockchain adoption significantly improves financial performance in Islamic fintech (ROA: = 0.023, t = 3.41; ROE: = 0.067, t = 2.79).Simulation results demonstrate a reduction in transaction latency from 3.2 days to 12.4 seconds (95% CI: 10.1-14.7),complete auditability, and transaction costs below $1.00 per operation.Practical Implications: Policy recommendations include regulatory sandboxing and institutional integration strategies to mainstream Shariah-compliant blockchain applications.Originality/Value: This study presents the first simulation-based validation of waqf blockchain governance grounded in Islamic jurisprudence, offering a scalable framework for ethical, decentralized financial services benefiting 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide.