Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB), in partnership with the Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB), held an invitation-only forum at the Sheraton Hotel, Bahrain. Titled “Moving Money, Moving Fast”: Payments, Digital Assets and the AI-Driven Transformation of Bahrain’s Financial Sector, the event brought together chief executives and senior decision-makers from the Kingdom’s banking, payments and fintech sectors for a morning of discussion on the issues shaping the next phase of financial services in Bahrain and the wider GCC.
The forum opened with two executive panel sessions. The first looked at payments and digital assets, covering stablecoin infrastructure, real-time payment rails and the cross-border connectivity tied to GCC financial integration. The second turned to AI and digital transformation within financial institutions, looking at how Bahrain’s banks and financial services firms are building the governance and operational systems that AI-driven finance calls for.
A Closed-Door Format
BFB and BAB said the gathering reflects their shared aim of keeping Bahrain among the region’s fintech hubs by connecting institutions, regulators and innovators. The organisers chose the invitation-only format deliberately, saying a closed setting allows senior decision-makers to speak more openly and work towards common ground on where the sector is heading.
“Bahrain’s financial sector is moving on multiple fronts simultaneously: payments, digital assets, and AI are not separate agendas but converging forces that every institution is navigating today. BFB’s role is to create the environment where that convergence produces clarity. The quality of the dialogue in the panel discussions reflects both the urgency and the confidence that defines this sector right now,” said Bader Sater, Chief Executive Officer, Bahrain FinTech Bay.
Mrs Zeeba Askar, Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Association of Banks, said: “This forum marks an important step in advancing institutional dialogue on the transformations reshaping financial services, from the evolution of payment systems and digital assets to the practical adoption of artificial intelligence within financial institutions. The Bahrain Association of Banks is pleased to support initiatives of this kind, which provide an effective platform for exchanging perspectives and expertise among key stakeholders, while strengthening the banking sector’s readiness to respond to rapid technological and regulatory developments. Such efforts contribute to enhancing the Kingdom of Bahrain’s competitiveness and reinforcing its position as a progressive regional financial hub.”
Where It Fits in BFB’s Wider Plans
The forum sits within BFB’s broader focus on Bahrain’s five confirmed priority sectors: stablecoins, digital assets, tokenisation, microfinancing and SME lending. It also reflects BFB’s two-part mandate: to attract international fintech companies to set up in the Kingdom, and to strengthen the local network of institutions, regulators and innovators that the organisation says make Bahrain a credible base for GCC-scale fintech ambition.
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