What is the ruling on dealing with electronic banks such as PayPal, Payoneer, TransferWise, and Stripe, given that they earn profits from transaction fees and from investing customer funds in short-term deposits and bonds, without sharing these profits with customers? And is there a Shariah-compliant alternative, considering that many online workers rely on them?
There is no objection to dealing with electronic banks like "PayPal" for transferring money in exchange for a commission. The money is placed in a "current account," not an investment account, unless the bank invests the money in a permissible way. Depositing money in a current account is considered a loan to the bank, and it is forbidden to accept gifts for it. The bank owns the money and is obliged to return its equivalent. If it invests it in an impermissible way, the sin is upon it. It is permissible to deposit money due to people's needs, but if an Islamic bank is available, it is obligatory to deal with it.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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