Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB) has announced a new strategic direction that expands its role from connecting Bahrain's fintech ecosystem to developing products and solutions with partners. The announcement was made on Day 1 of Fintech Forward 2026, a major industry gathering hosted by Bahrain EDB and programmed by Forbes Middle East. The move places artificial intelligence products, services, and digital infrastructure at the center of BFB's support for financial institutions and fintech companies.
A Broader Strategic Mandate
BFB has historically operated as Bahrain's ecosystem builder for fintech, helping companies establish in the Kingdom, expand across the GCC, and scale to MENA. The new strategy preserves those mandates while adding a product and solutions development layer delivered with technology partners. This represents a meaningful evolution from connecting market participants to actively building tools that serve the financial services industry.
Leadership Perspective on the New Direction
Bader Sater, CEO of Bahrain FinTech Bay, said that Bahrain has spent years building a strong fintech ecosystem and the next step is to make that ecosystem work even harder for companies and financial institutions. He added that the new direction will help fintech companies set up and grow from Bahrain while helping banks adopt AI with the right partners. The agreements signed at Fintech Forward 2026, he noted, are where that work starts.
AI Products and Training for Financial Institutions
A key addition to BFB's offering is the development of AI products and services for financial institutions, delivered in partnership with technology providers. These products will sit alongside BFB's AI training, which ranges from strategy courses for senior leaders to practical, day-to-day uses of AI for teams. BFB's AI products, services, and training will remain focused on financial institutions, ensuring banks have a clear adoption path with the right partners.
Digital Infrastructure and Subsidiary Roles
BFB will also expand access to technology and digital infrastructure, including Google Cloud infrastructure, helping companies build, test, and scale solutions from Bahrain. Alongside this focus on financial institutions, BFB's subsidiary Innovate for Bahrain (I4BH) will expand its role to develop AI products and services for companies outside financial services. I4BH runs AI-first innovation programs and startup accelerators in partnership with government, corporations, and academia, giving every company a route to AI support based on its sector.
Continued Regulatory and Ecosystem Support
The new direction keeps BFB's two mandates as an ecosystem builder: supporting fintech companies that establish in Bahrain, expand across the GCC, and scale to MENA, and supporting the financial services sector with digital transformation. BFB will continue its close work with the Central Bank of Bahrain and its strategic partnership with the Bahrain Economic Development Board. The organization is a subsidiary of The BENEFIT Company, which underpins its role in the Kingdom's financial ecosystem.
Initial Agreements at Fintech Forward 2026
The first partnerships and agreements under the new direction were signed on Day 1 of Fintech Forward 2026. The event is supported by the Central Bank of Bahrain, the Labor Fund "Tamkeen", Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, and Bahrain FinTech Bay. These initial agreements provide an early view of how BFB's expanded products, services, and partnerships will create opportunities for fintech companies, financial institutions, and technology providers.
Bahrain FinTech Bay's new direction represents a practical shift from ecosystem connectivity to product development, with AI at the center of its support for financial institutions. By combining training, digital infrastructure, and partner-delivered solutions, BFB aims to help fintech companies set up and grow from Bahrain while helping banks adopt AI. The agreements signed at Fintech Forward 2026 provide an early signal of how the strategy will create value for companies across Bahrain and the wider region.