For new investors in Oman, mutual funds offer a regulated route into financial markets without requiring investors to directly select individual shares, bonds or short-term instruments.

The options available locally now cover GCC equities, Oman-focused equities, global equities, balanced strategies and money market funds, giving first-time investors a wider range of entry points depending on their risk appetite and time horizon.

The following overview is based on the latest publicly available 2026 fact sheets, fund pages and NAV disclosures available as of early May 2026.

Note: The funds are not ranked, as they follow different strategies and risk profiles. Equity funds, for instance, cannot be compared directly with money market funds, and annualised money market yields are not the same as equity fund year-to-date returns.

2026 Performance Snapshot

Read (*) (**). Data procured through publicly available reports. 

Oman Gateway Fund

One of the most significant new fund launches in Oman this year is the Oman Gateway Fund, an open-ended equity fund investing in companies listed on the Muscat Stock Exchange. The fund’s initial subscription was priced at OMR 1.000 per unit, with a minimum initial subscription of 100 units during the offer period. The latest FSA-published NAV showed OMR 1.141 as of 4 May 2026, implying a gain of approximately 14.1 percent from the IPO unit price. The fund’s performance should be viewed in the context of strong domestic market momentum, rather than treated as a guaranteed future return.

Bank Muscat Oryx Fund

Bank Muscat Oryx Fund remains one of the Sultanate’s most established equity mutual funds, with an inception year of 1994 and exposure to listed equities across the GCC. Bank Muscat’s latest fund table showed the Oryx Fund delivering 0.6 percent year-to-date as of 31 March 2026, with annualised returns of 9.2 percent over three years and 11.2 percent over five years. The same page lists the fund as suitable for medium- to long-term GCC equity exposure.

For new investors, the key point is that Oryx is a higher-risk equity fund, not a cash-parking product. Bank Muscat’s February 2026 fact sheet classifies the fund’s risk profile as “High”, with a minimum initial purchase of OMR 50 and daily subscription and redemption.

NBO GCC Fund

NBO GCC Fund offers another route into GCC equities. Its February 2026 fact sheet showed the fund at 4.87 percent YTD, compared with 3.54 percent for the S&P GCC Composite Index. The same disclosure showed annualised performance of 10.12 percent over three years and 9.98 percent over five years.

The fund had a strong January, returning 8.88 percent for the month, but declined by 3.69 percent in February, showing the volatility that can come with regional equity exposure. The February fact sheet attributed the monthly decline mainly to weakness in Tadawul, while noting positive contribution from Oman and UAE positions.

ahli Global Equity Fund

For investors looking beyond Oman and the GCC, ahli Global Equity Fund provides exposure to a diversified portfolio of international and regional equities. Its March 2026 fact sheet reported a difficult start to the year, with the fund down 2.3 percent YTD versus a 0.2 percent gain for its benchmark. However, the same fact sheet showed annualised returns of 9.1 percent over three years and 9.0 percent over five years.

This makes the fund relevant for investors who understand that global equity exposure can produce short-term drawdowns, even where longer-term performance remains positive. The fund’s objective is long-term capital appreciation through high-quality listed companies with sustainable competitive advantages, according to ahli’s March 2026 disclosure.

Bank Muscat Al Tharwa Fund

Bank Muscat Al Tharwa Fund is positioned as a balanced fund, investing across equity and fixed-income instruments in GCC and international markets. For new investors, its appeal lies in its diversified structure and low entry threshold: Bank Muscat says investors can subscribe with a minimum of OMR 50 and that the fund offers daily liquidity with no minimum holding period.

The February 2026 fact sheet reported that the fund gained 1.3 percent since the beginning of the year, after a 0.1 percent monthly gain in February. Longer-term three-year and five-year performance is not available because the fund was launched only recently, with Bank Muscat’s public page showing the product as a newer offering alongside its daily NAV disclosures.

Bank Muscat Money Market Fund

For investors who are not ready for equity risk, money market funds can be a more conservative starting point. Bank Muscat Money Market Fund invests in short-term fixed-income instruments and is described by the bank as suitable for parking short-term liquidity. As of 31 March 2026, Bank Muscat showed annualised returns of 4.6 percent for one month, three months and six months, and 4.71 percent for 12 months.

Its February 2026 fact sheet classified the fund’s risk profile as “Low”, with a minimum subscription amount of OMR 100 and daily subscription and redemption. The February sheet also reported a 4.57 percent annualised yield for the month and 4.60 percent YTD annualised return.

ahli Islamic Money Market Fund

The ahli Islamic Money Market Fund is a Sharia-compliant money market fund aimed at liquidity preservation and short-term income generation. The March 2026 fact sheet showed a running yield of 4.6 percent and annualised YTD performance of 4.8 percent. It also reported a minimum subscription of OMR 500, daily dealing, one business day redemption notice and no lock-up period.

The fund’s structure makes it more suitable for investors seeking a lower-risk Sharia-compliant cash management product rather than long-term equity growth. Its returns are closely linked to short-term profit rates and money market conditions.

First Mazoon Fund

The First Mazoon Fund is one of Oman’s long-running funds, launched in 1997 and managed by Ubhar Capital. Its February 2026 fact sheet shows a NAV per unit of OMR 1.203, with the fund’s objective stated as capital appreciation through a diversified portfolio of equity and bond investments in public companies listed in GCC and MENA markets. The retrieved fact sheet did not publish comparable fund-level YTD, three-year or five-year performance figures, so it should not be ranked against funds that have disclosed those numbers.

What New Investors Should Look At First

For beginners, the right fund depends less on the highest 2026 return and more on suitability. Money market funds may suit investors who want liquidity and lower volatility. Balanced funds may suit investors looking for a mix of growth and income. Equity funds may suit investors with a longer time horizon and the ability to tolerate market swings.

On the 2026 numbers available so far, Oman Gateway Fund has shown the strongest early performance among the funds reviewed, supported by strong Oman market momentum. Among established GCC equity funds with three- and five-year records, Bank Muscat Oryx Fund and NBO GCC Fund both show solid annualised longer-term returns. For global diversification, ahli Global Equity Fund’s 2026 YTD performance is negative, but its three- and five-year annualised figures remain positive.

The broader takeaway is that Oman-based investors now have access to a more diverse fund universe than before. However, performance tables should be read with caution. Fund returns differ by asset class, risk level, fee structure, currency exposure and valuation date. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and investors should review the latest fact sheet, prospectus, fees, redemption terms and risk disclosures before investing.