Bettr & Muslim Pro launch Umrah finance in Malaysia

Bettr and Muslim Pro have launched an Umrah financing service in Malaysia, giving eligible users a way to spread pilgrimage costs over time.

Malaysian users of Muslim Pro can find Umrah packages from participating partners, apply for financing digitally, and choose repayment periods of 12 to 24 months, subject to eligibility and terms. Early settlement is also available under the applicable terms.

Packages range from standard to premium and can cover individual or family travel, including flights, accommodation, meals, and ground transport. The product is aimed at Muslims who can afford to undertake the pilgrimage but prefer to manage the cost in instalments.

The financing is structured through Tawarruq, a form commonly used in Islamic finance, with transactions handled through AS-SIDQ, a digital commodity trading platform operated by SEDANIA As Salam Capital. Masryef Advisory has endorsed the structure as compliant with applicable Shariah principles.

For Bettr, the launch expands a broader Islamic finance push in Malaysia, where demand has been growing for digital financial services linked to everyday apps and platforms. The company operates under Ant International and focuses on embedded finance products for businesses and institutions.

Muslim Pro, meanwhile, has expanded beyond prayer times and Quran access into travel and pilgrimage planning. The app says it has recorded more than 190 million downloads across more than 190 markets.

Malaysia is a significant market for the product. The companies pointed to a Muslim population of about 22 million, or roughly 65% of the country's population, and said many Umrah travellers are aged between 30 and 50 and often support households of two to five members.

That demographic means pilgrimage spending can compete with family costs and other financial commitments. The new service is designed to address this by letting households spread the expense while maintaining savings and preserving liquidity for emergencies and regular obligations.

Bettr uses credit risk models to assess each applicant's repayment ability. According to the company, the approach is intended to extend access to a broader group of users, including gig workers and small business owners, while keeping user privacy and data security central to the process.

The launch also reflects a broader trend in Muslim consumer services, as lifestyle apps add financial products tied to specific religious needs. In this case, the financing is built into a platform already used for worship, planning, and travel-related services, creating a single route from Umrah package discovery to payment arrangements.

Islamic guidance on pilgrimage financing generally stresses that the journey should not undermine a family's other obligations. The companies said the product is intended for individuals and families who have assessed their ability to repay and want a Shariah-compliant way to manage the cost.

Nafees Khundker, Group Managing Director and CEO of Muslim Pro, said the partnership reflects how the app's role in users' lives is expanding.

"Millions of Muslims turn to Muslim Pro every day for guidance in their everyday lives and increasingly, that includes planning meaningful moments like Umrah," Khundker said.

"We're proud to work with Bettr to offer a responsible, Shariah-compliant way for individuals and families in Malaysia to plan their pilgrimage with confidence, built on the same trust, privacy, and care our community expects from us every day," he added.

Quan Yu, General Manager of Bettr Credit and Senior Vice President of Ant International, said Islamic finance is part of a wider effort to broaden access to financial services.

"We believe in what individuals and small businesses can achieve when they are properly supported, and our engagement in Islamic finance is driven by a deep faith in the power of technology to do good," Yu said.

"Through partnerships with trusted platforms like Muslim Pro, we aim to scale innovative, Shariah-compliant digital financial products that reflect the Muslim community's core values, building an inclusive system that leaves no one behind," he added.