AnnouncementMay 12, 2026

Blade Labs launches ZeroH Disclosure.

A patent-pending privacy and proof platform that lets regulated institutions use AI without surrendering control of sensitive data. Ask Ali, the first product on it, is live in free research preview at ali.zeroh.io.

By Blade Labs

The announcement

DOHA, Qatar / SINGAPORE, 12 May 2026.Blade Labs today launched ZeroH Disclosure, a patent-pending privacy and proof platform that lets regulated financial institutions use AI and cloud services without surrendering control of sensitive data. The platform applies an institution’s own disclosure policy before data reaches any external system, and produces a cryptographic record each time it does. The first product built on ZeroH Disclosure is Ask Ali, an AI co-pilot for compliance, product development, and Shariah governance teams inside Islamic financial institutions. Both are available for early access from 12 May 2026 at zeroh.io/ask-ali.

What ZeroH Disclosure does

The problem has quietly stalled AI adoption across regulated finance. Institutions want what AI and cloud services offer. Still, they face hard constraints: data sovereignty laws, privacy regulations, and, in Islamic finance, the requirement that Shariah governance is demonstrably followed, not merely claimed.

Most AI deployments address these concerns inside the cloud, after data has already left the institution. ZeroH Disclosure inverts that sequence. The institution’s disclosure policy is applied first; data moves only after enforcement. Each controlled disclosure generates a cryptographic proof record that management, Shariah boards, auditors, and regulators can independently verify.

UK patent application GB2604344.8, filed 27 February 2026, covers the cryptographic disclosure architecture.

Building on the Digital Receipt System

The launch builds on Blade Labs’ earlier Digital Receipt System developed with Qatar Financial Centre and Hashgraph. That initiative introduced the core architecture now formalised as ZeroH Disclosure: applying institutional policy to data flows and producing verifiable proof of each action. While the Digital Receipt System demonstrated this approach in a specific use case, it also surfaced a broader requirement across regulated finance — the need to enforce disclosure policy before data reaches external systems. ZeroH Disclosure extends this model into a general platform for governed AI and cloud usage.

The first product on it: Ask Ali

Built on this architecture, Ask Ali operates entirely within the controls its host institution has already approved. It knows what data it is and is not permitted to use, and can prove it. Every action runs against the institution’s policy first and produces audit evidence as a byproduct.

For Shariah governance, every answer cites the AAOIFI, IFSB, or BNM standard, clause, and version it draws from. The four major madhahib are presented side by side. Every analysis maps to the five Maqasid al-Shariah objectives. Because Ali is built on ZeroH Disclosure, the model only ever sees redacted tokens, and the audit trail is produced as a byproduct rather than assembled at the last minute.

“Islamic digital banks do not need another AI chatbot. They need a system that turns legal and Shariah requirements into day-to-day operating controls, lets teams use AI responsibly, and gives management, Shariah boards, auditors, and regulators something they can verify. Our technology starts before the cloud. Data does not leave the institution’s control unless the relevant disclosure policy has been applied first, so that institutions can actually use the cloud.”

— Sami Mian, Chief Executive Officer, Blade Labs

A pivotal moment for Islamic digital banks

The Islamic digital bank category is at a pivotal moment. Institutions across the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and the UK are at different stages of licensing, and the governance and data infrastructure required by regulators is substantial, whether a licence has been granted or is still being sought.

Before a licence, ZeroH Disclosure supports the data controls, governance documentation, and audit-ready evidence that regulators expect during authorisation. After a licence, it supports continuous compliance reporting and proof that approved policies were applied to every relevant transaction and disclosure. The platform grows with an institution through each regulatory milestone.

Why launch in Qatar

Qatar is the launch jurisdiction, and the choice is deliberate. Qatar National Vision 2030 places digital financial services at the centre of the country’s economic diversification strategy. The solution was developed with support of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) through the Digital Assets Lab, leveraging the innovation testing environment designed to advance next-generation financial technologies.

“The launch of ZeroH Disclosure by Blade Labs is a strong example of what the QFC Digital Assets Lab is designed to do: provide a robust environment where innovative solutions can be developed, validated, and brought to market with confidence. By enabling the advancement of solutions that unlock the potential of AI and cloud adoption while safeguarding data privacy, we’re enhancing the efficiency, security, and resilience of financial services in Qatar. Initiatives like this reinforce the QFC’s commitment to building a forward-looking financial ecosystem that aligns with global standards and addresses the evolving needs of regulated institutions.”

— Huzayfa Patel, Digital Assets, Qatar Financial Centre

Beyond Islamic finance

The same disclosure-control architecture applies beyond Islamic finance to any regulated workflow where controlled, verifiable data sharing is a legal or governance requirement, including banking, insurance, healthcare, and legal services.

About Blade Labs

Blade Labs is an AI-native RegTech company building governance, risk, and compliance infrastructure for regulated financial institutions, with a focus on Islamic finance. Its flagship ZeroH platform, along with Ask Ali built on top, helps Islamic digital banks, traditional banks, and regulated institutions turn legal, regulatory, and Shariah requirements into enforceable operational controls, with cryptographic auditability.

ZeroH holds a full Fatwa pronouncement from Amanie Advisors, alongside SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022, and GDPR compliance. Blade Labs won the FinoPitch International Grand Prize 2025 and the Islamic Fintech Awards 2025, and holds a UK Patent Pending on its disclosure-control architecture. The company is a Qatar Development Bank and Qatar FinTech Hub portfolio company, registered at the Qatar Financial Centre, active through the QFC Digital Assets Lab, and backed by The Hashgraph Association. Live deployments include a Shariah-compliant agricultural financing system in Bangladesh and a Digital Receipt System POC in Qatar.

Availability and next steps

ZeroH Disclosure enters research preview on 12 May 2026, available first through Ask Ali. The free research preview is open at ali.zeroh.io — sign in with your work email or Google to start. Islamic digital banks, traditional banks, and regulated institutions can request early access, institutional pilots, and enterprise deployments at zeroh.io/ask-ali. The full press kit, media assets, and press release PDF are available at zeroh.io/press/ask-ali-launch.

Media contact: Intesar Haquani, Chief Business Officer, Blade Labs — ints@bladelabs.io

Frequently asked

What is ZeroH Disclosure?

ZeroH Disclosure is a patent-pending privacy and proof platform from Blade Labs. It applies an institution’s disclosure policy at the prompt boundary, before any data reaches an external AI service, and produces a cryptographic record each time it does. The platform lets regulated financial institutions use AI and cloud services without surrendering control of sensitive data. UK patent application GB2604344.8, filed 27 February 2026.

What is the relationship between ZeroH Disclosure and Ask Ali?

Ask Ali is the first product built on ZeroH Disclosure. Ali is an AI co-pilot for Islamic finance compliance, product, and Shariah governance teams. It runs entirely within the controls each host institution has approved, courtesy of the ZeroH Disclosure platform underneath. The model only sees what the institution’s policy allows it to see.

Why launch in Qatar first?

Qatar is the launch jurisdiction by deliberate choice. Qatar National Vision 2030 places digital financial services at the centre of the country’s economic diversification strategy. ZeroH Disclosure was developed inside the QFC Digital Assets Lab, building on the Digital Receipt System POC delivered through the Lab with Hashgraph in September 2025.

When can institutions get access?

Ask Ali is live now in free research preview at ali.zeroh.io — sign in with your work email or Google to start. Institutional teams can also talk to Blade Labs directly via /contact for a tailored briefing, walkthrough, and pilot scoping.

What credentials back the platform?

Blade Labs holds SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022, and GDPR compliance, all in place since 2023. The ZeroH platform methodology that Ali is built on holds a full fatwa pronouncement from Amanie Advisors (April 2025). The company is a Qatar Development Bank portfolio company, registered at the Qatar Financial Centre, and won the FinoPitch International Grand Prize 2025 in Tokyo and the Islamic Fintech Awards 2025 in Dubai.

Does this only apply to Islamic finance?

No. The same disclosure-control architecture applies beyond Islamic finance to any regulated workflow where controlled, verifiable data sharing is a legal or governance requirement, including conventional banking, insurance, healthcare, and legal services. Islamic finance is the launch vertical because it carries the highest compliance and fairness bar in regulated finance.

Continue reading