Fintech Forward 2025 (FF25), the premier event hosted by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), has successfully concluded, marking a significant milestone for the region’s financial technology landscape. The event culminated in the signing of 38 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and strategic agreements, signaling robust industry collaboration and reinforcing global investor confidence in Bahrain’s rapidly maturing fintech ecosystem.
A Global Stage for Collaboration
The third iteration of FF25 drew its largest audience to date, with approximately 2,000 attendees including policymakers, investors, and founders converging at Exhibition World Bahrain. The event attracted strong international participation from key markets such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, the US, and India. This year’s theme, “The Era of Integration: The Maturing Age of Fintech,” was brought to life by over 40 speakers, including industry titans like Changpeng Zhao (CZ), former CEO of Binance, and Dhiraj Mukherjee, Co-Founder of Shazam, cementing the event’s status as a premier global stage for innovation.
Landmark Agreements and Pilot Projects
Among the milestone announcements was the successful pilot of a new Google Cloud payment infrastructure. This landmark collaboration, facilitated by Bahrain Fintech Bay, the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB), Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), and BENEFIT, enables instant payments on Google Cloud Universal Ledger, showcasing Bahrain’s role as a testbed for next-generation financial technologies. The event also highlighted the strengthening UK-Bahrain ties, with the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) leading its largest-ever delegation to any country, resulting in three UK fintechs—Umazi, Ajyad & Valexa, and Aman by Themis—announcing their launch in Bahrain.
Driving the Kingdom’s Financial Strategy
The success of FF25 aligns directly with Bahrain’s Financial Services Sector Development Strategy (2022–2026), which aims to advance innovation, talent, and sustainable growth. The financial services sector remains the largest contributor to Bahrain’s GDP, accounting for 17.2% of the economy in 2024. Supported by a forward-thinking regulatory framework from the Central Bank of Bahrain, the Kingdom continues to leverage its strategic location and sophisticated digital infrastructure to serve as a launchpad for scalable fintech solutions seeking access to the $2.15 trillion GCC market.
About Fintech Forward
Fintech Forward is a premier fintech event hosted by the Bahrain Economic Development Board. It serves as a pivotal platform for dialogue, collaboration, and transformation in digital finance, bringing together global policymakers, investors, founders, and thought leaders from around the world to shape the future of financial services. The event showcases Bahrain’s commitment to fostering innovation and solidifying its position as the region’s leading destination for fintech investment.
Source: Zawya
