Indonesia’s national Islamic council reportedly declares Bitcoin haram

The National Ulema Council (MUI), Indonesia’s top Islamic scholarly body, has reportedly found cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) to be haram, or forbidden, by the tenets of Islam.

Asrorun Niam Sholeh, chairman of MUI’s Fatwa Commission, confirmed the religious authority’s rejection of cryptocurrencies due to alleged elements of “uncertainty, wagering, and harm.”

In order for the MIU to endorse crypto trading, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin need to abide by Shariah guidelines as a commodity or a digital asset and show a “clear benefit,” Sholeh reportedly said following an expert MIU hearing.

The MIU discussed Bitcoin as part of the Ulama Fatwa Commission, which is designed to address some of Indonesia’s biggest social, political, economic, and legal issues through the lens of Islamic law.

The MIU’s East Java branch previously issued a fatwa – a “formal ruling or interpretation on a point of Islamic law given by a qualified legal scholar” – declaring the use of cryptocurrency haram in late October.

While the MIU is a government-funded organization, the council’s latest decision is reportedly not legally binding. Despite the MUI admitting that the fatwa is not the law in Indonesia, it still can be used as a source of “legislative inspiration,” according to some sources.

According to Bloomberg, the latest decision from the MUI doesn’t mean that all crypto trading will be stopped in Indonesia. However, the council could deter Muslims from investing in crypto and make local institutions reconsider issuing crypto assets.

The news comes shortly after Bitcoin briefly passed the $69,000 price mark for the first time in history on Wednesday.

The Indonesian government has taken a mixed stance on crypto regulation. Despite putting a blanket ban on cryptocurrency payments back in 2017, local authorities have preferred to keep crypto trading legal. In August, local crypto exchange Pintu raised $35 million from some of the biggest investors in the crypto and blockchain industry.

Share: Cryptos feed

Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers.