Mubasher: Bahrain’s fourth Fintech Forward 2026 kicked off on Wednesday, bringing together more than 40 speakers from Bahrain, the region, and around the world to discuss the future of financial services amid rapid technological and digital infrastructure developments.
The two-day forum, held during 7-8 October at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, is organized by the Bahrain Economic Development Board, with support from the Central Bank of Bahrain, Tamkeen, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, and Bahrain FinTech Bay.
The event brings together financial institutions, technology companies, investors, regulators, and policymakers to explore developments reshaping the financial services industry, including artificial intelligence, digital payments, stablecoins, asset tokenization, open banking, digital identity, and technology-enabled fraud prevention and transaction security.
Discussions will also cover financing opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), digital wealth management, insurtech, and regulatory innovation, with a focus on developing a more efficient financial ecosystem capable of adapting to digital transformation.
The forum also features networking sessions connecting investors, institutions, and policymakers, alongside an exhibition showcasing products and solutions from 20 organizations across the financial services, fintech, technology, and government sectors.
The event comes as financial services remain a key pillar of Bahrain’s economy, contributing around 17.6% of the kingdom’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025.
Last year’s edition gathered over 2,000 participants and 35 global fintech firms.
