Malaysia retained the number one position in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator (GIEI) in the State of the Global Islamic Economy 2025/26 report, the 12th edition, published by DinarStandard.
The numbers
| Rank | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Malaysia |
| 2 | United Arab Emirates |
| 3 | Saudi Arabia |
| 4 | Indonesia |
| 5 | Bahrain |
Malaysia leads in three sectors
The GIEI covers seven sectors. Malaysia places first in halal food, Islamic finance, and halal pharmaceuticals and cosmetics; second in media and recreation; and fourth in Muslim-friendly travel and modest fashion.
For a Malaysian factory, first place in halal pharmaceuticals and cosmetics is an export sales argument that can be sourced.
The top five order has changed
In the 2024/25 edition the order was Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, UAE, Bahrain. In 2025/26 it is Malaysia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Bahrain. Anyone quoting the old order is out of date.
Be careful with "consecutive years"
DinarStandard stated Malaysia "retained the top spot for the 11th year" for the 2024/25 edition. It gave no count for 2025/26. Some reporting says "nine years", which contradicts the primary source.
The safe statement: Malaysia holds first place in SGIE 2025/26, the same position it held in 2024/25, which DinarStandard then described as its 11th year at the top. Do not write "12 consecutive years" — no official source says it.
About these figures
The data on this page covers the 2025/26 edition and was published by DinarStandard. Halal statistics are revised and reissued; check the linked source before quoting a figure in a filing or a pitch. Where an official body has not published a number, we say so rather than estimate one.