The Maldives Zakat House has announced that Zakat al-Fitr contributions for the 2026 Ramadan season reached a record USD 973,336, a milestone that represents the most substantial volume of offerings in the nation’s recent history. The entirety of the amassed funds has been disbursed to those on the national registry of the impoverished and needy, the institution confirmed, marking a significant achievement for the state’s charitable framework.
The 2026 figures represent a disciplined increase in charitable giving, surpassing the USD 880,456 collected in 2025, the USD 816,798 gathered in 2024, and the USD 823,056 recorded in 2023. To facilitate this record participation, the administration utilised a multi-channel collection strategy that integrated an expansive suite of digital payment gateways.
Citizens fulfilled their religious obligations through platforms including the Dhiraagu and Ooredoo applications, the Bank of Maldives, and the Maldives Islamic Bank, alongside FahiPay, the Avas app, and Bandeyri Pay. These digital efforts were complemented by physical service desks established on 22 February to allow for in-person cash and card transactions.
This distribution of funds achieved a historic precedent for the nation’s social welfare system, the agency reported, with the allocation reaching USD 389 per capita, the largest equal per capita distribution of Fitr Zakat ever recorded in the country. A dedicated sum of USD 901,428 was explicitly directed to the impoverished and the needy, a group that notably included 62 orphans, the Zakat House stated.