
Participation banking is a unique approach to banking that involves members of a cooperative bank contributing their savings to a common fund, which is then loaned out to other members or external borrowers. This model allows for mutual support and solidarity among members.
By pooling their resources, members can access loans at a lower interest rate and with more favorable terms than they would from a traditional bank. This is because the risk is shared among the members, reducing the lender's risk.
Participation banking fosters a sense of community and cooperation among members, who work together to achieve common financial goals. Members also have a say in the decision-making process, giving them a sense of ownership and control over their financial institution.
In a participation bank, members can expect to receive a higher return on their deposits compared to a traditional savings account, as their money is being used to generate income through loans and investments.
What is Participation Banking?
Participation banking is a type of banking activity where banks collect funds with two different account types, current and participation accounts.
The participation banks generate profits by purchasing or leasing goods, services, or rights requested by their customers and selling or leasing them back on installments or creating partnerships with the collected funds.
Participation banks do not directly grant loans, but instead generate revenues over the collected funds through various means.
They offer banking services such as hiring safe deposit boxes, remittance, negotiable instrument and bill collection, and act as an intermediary for transactions like trading in FX and securities.
The participation banks share the revenues they generate with their customers at pre-determined rates, following the principle of interest-free banking.
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What is Participation Banking?
Participation banking is a type of banking activity where banks collect funds with two different account types, current and participation accounts.
They generate profits by purchasing or leasing goods, services, or rights requested by their customers and selling or leasing them back on installments.
The participation banks do not directly grant loans, but instead generate revenues over the collected funds through various transactions.
Participation banks act as intermediaries for transactions like trading in FX, securities, and other services, following their own principles.
They offer banking services such as hiring safe deposit boxes, remittance, negotiable instrument, and bill collection.
The participation banks share the revenues they generate with their customers at pre-determined rates, in line with the partnership principle of interest-free banking.
Funds collected in participation accounts are used to finance trade, industry, and service sectors, following the principles of interest-free banking.
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Purpose
Participation banking relies heavily on trust, which is built on a foundation of Sharia compliance, legal financial instruments, and transparent distribution of profits among account owners and banks.
The economic principles of Islam, particularly those related to mudarabah agreements, play a crucial role in this type of banking.
To ensure the success of participation banking, it's essential to identify and address any problematic areas related to profit sharing.
By doing so, opportunities for improvement can be uncovered, leading to the development of a more effective profit distribution system.
This study aims to propose a new profit distribution system that takes into account the principles of mudarabah agreements and promotes fair and transparent profit sharing among all stakeholders.
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Account Types
Participation banking offers a unique account type that allows you to save in gold and earn a profit. This account type provides a way to save while also generating income.
With Vakıf Katılım, you can save and own a house with a profit share and a state contribution of up to 20%. This is a great opportunity to invest in your future.
Here are some benefits of participating banking accounts:
- You can save at Vakıf Katılım and get the opportunity to own a house with both a profit share and a state contribution of up to 20%.
- Vakıf Katılım offers high profit share rates, allowing you to benefit from a higher return on your investment.
- You have control over when you receive your profit, giving you flexibility and autonomy in your financial decisions.
Account
A Participation Account is a type of account that operates on the principles of participation banking.
In this type of account, the profit is shared within the framework of a profit-loss partnership. This means that the funds collected are used to finance trade, industry, and service sectors in line with the principles of interest-free banking.
The capital owner and the operator share the generated revenue at a pre-agreed rate, as seen in labor-capital partnerships. This is a key characteristic of Participation Accounts.

Funds collected in Participation Accounts are used for financing purposes, such as trade, industry, and services. The bank acting as the operator runs the collected fund and shares the generated revenue with the depositors.
In a Participation Account, the individual who deposits money is the capital owner, while the bank is the operator. This is a fundamental aspect of the partnership.
Credit Cards and İhtiyaç Cards
Credit Cards and İhtiyaç Cards are issued by participation banks, allowing customers to divide payments into installments.
These cards work on the principle that the participation bank purchases goods or services on behalf of the customer, based on the customer's permission.
The Murabaha method is commonly used for these cards, where the participation bank purchases goods on behalf of the customer and then sells them to the customer in installments.
Customers give an undertaking not to purchase goods or services violating the principle of interest-free banking, and not to make payments for such goods and services while signing the card agreement.
The transaction steps involve the participation bank purchasing goods on behalf of the customer, and then selling them to the customer in installments, with the customer making payments over a maturity.
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Other Account Types
You can save your money as gold while earning a profit with certain account types. This allows you to grow your savings over time.
With Vakıf Katılım, you can save and get the chance to own a house with a profit share and a state contribution of up to 20%. This is a great opportunity to invest in your future.
You can also benefit from high profit share rates with Vakıf Katılım. This means you'll earn more on your savings, which is always a good thing.
By choosing the right account type, you can determine when you'll receive your profit. This gives you control over your finances and allows you to plan ahead.
Here are some key benefits of Vakıf Katılım's account types:
- Savings can be made as gold
- Profit share and state contribution of up to 20% towards owning a house
- High profit share rates
- Determine when you receive your profit
Benefits and Implications
Participation banking has the potential to support the real economy by bringing in funds from conservatives who avoid conventional banks due to interest. This could provide new sources to reduce foreign dependency and offer a financial alternative for those who stay away from interest-based economic activities.
By participating in interest-free banking, individuals can create a more stable economy that is less reliant on debt. In fact, it's expected that products, contracts, business processes, and legislations will be developed to support this shift.
Participation banking is not just about avoiding interest, but also about creating a more equitable and sustainable economic system.
Practical Implications
Implementing a single-pool system can bring an end to the shifting of rights between pools, resulting in a fair and transparent system.
This system collects and operates bank equities, other shareholders' funds, and participation accounts in a single pool.
The pool's profit and loss are distributed based on shares in the pool, ensuring a fair distribution of profits and losses.
In this system, the profit per participation account is distributed based on the share of each participation account in the pool and the profit-sharing ratio.
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Social Implications
Participation banking is expected to support the real economy by means of production, leasing, and merchandising based on certain religious, ethical, and contractual principles.

Bringing funds of conservatives into the economy is expected to provide new sources to reduce foreign dependency.
This alternative financial system is expected to supply a financial alternative for conservatives who stay away from interest-based economic activities.
If participation banking is to represent an alternative to debt-based systems, then products, contracts, business processes, and legislations driven according to interest-free banking principles should be developed.
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Research Limitations/Implications
The research on participation banking has some limitations that are worth mentioning. The interviewed officials were cautious to avoid a negative perception of the sector, which made it difficult to determine the real situation of applications decided with initiative in profit distribution.
One of the challenges is accessing licensed documents, as only some authorization documents have been partially published. This scarcity of information makes it hard to get a complete picture of the profit distribution system.
The lack of an independent audit report is another limitation, as no such report has been made considering the interest-free banking principles regarding the profit distribution system of participation banking. This means that there's no external validation of the system's fairness and transparency.
The research does not cause any harm to the reputation of participation banks, which is a positive note.
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Research and Originality
Research and originality are crucial in participation banking, where customers are encouraged to contribute ideas and solutions. This approach requires a deep understanding of the community's needs and preferences.
Participation banking institutions often conduct research to identify the most pressing issues in their community, such as financial literacy gaps or access to credit. By doing so, they can tailor their services to meet these needs.
Original research can also inform the development of new financial products and services that meet the unique needs of participation banking customers. For example, a study may reveal a high demand for affordable savings options, leading to the creation of a low-cost savings account.
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Design/Methodology/Approach
This study proposes two specific hypotheses to test the alignment between Islamic economic principles and participation banking practices.
The first hypothesis, H1, suggests that there are partial deviations between the profit considered legal in Islam and the actual practice of participation banking.
Researchers used in-depth interviews and a review of literature, including legislation, to identify the key parameters affecting the distribution of profit.
The collected data was then compared to the theoretical framework of the mudarabah contract to test its validity.
The study's approach aimed to shed light on the potential discrepancies between theoretical expectations and real-world practices.
Findings
Research and originality in banking practices is crucial, and our findings have shed some light on the complexities of participation banks. There are two separate fund pools used in these banks, including equity and participation accounts.
Managers' personal goals can influence their selection of pools, which may cause profit to pass between participation accounts and equity. This can lead to issues with distributed profits.
Incomes from funding commissions, reserve requirements, and idle funds are recorded in the bank's income, even if they originate from participation accounts. This can be a major problem for participation account holders.
The bank does not return the profit initially recorded in its own account to participation pools, regardless of whether profit is made.
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Originality/Value
This study introduces a new proposal for the profit distribution system of participation banking, which is a game-changer for the industry.
The methodology used is similar to interest-free banking on a global scale, particularly in Malaysia, and is also compatible with the profit distribution decisions in AAOIFI’s depositor accounts.
The new methodology is considered original as it relates to participation banking, and its implementation will eliminate several problems identified in the profit distribution system of participation banks.
This research provides an academic contribution to the participation banking profit distribution system and serves as a valuable reference material on the subject.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the meaning of participating bank?
A participating bank is an investment bank that engages in a debt exchange with one or more members of a parent group. This typically involves a financial transaction or agreement between the bank and the parent group.
What is a participant in banking?
A participant in banking is a bank or credit union that joins with the lead institution to fund a loan, sharing the risk and reward. This collaborative approach allows multiple financial institutions to work together to provide financing to customers.
Sources
- https://www.vakifkatilim.com.tr/en/about-us/about-vakif-katilim/participation-banking/participation-banking-system
- https://www.worldfinance.com/banking/looking-towards-the-future-of-participation-banking
- https://www.dailysabah.com/business/finance/participation-banking-assets-in-turkey-seen-doubling-over-5-years
- https://www.kuveytturk.com.tr/en/about-us/interest-free-banking
- https://www.vakifkatilim.com.tr/en/for-me/accounts/participation-accounts/participation-account
- https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/qrfm-01-2021-0010/full/pdf
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