Fintech Forward 2026 in Bahrain concludes with over 60 agreements, 2,900 attendees
The Fintech Forward 2026 event in Bahrain concluded with over 60 strategic agreements signed, drawing 2,900 participants. The forum facilitated partnerships between financial services and technology firms.
The Fintech Forward 2026 (FF26) event in Manama, Bahrain, has concluded, marking the signing of over 60 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and strategic agreements. The event saw participation from more than 2,900 local and international attendees, surpassing previous years. This fourth iteration of the forum also recorded its highest number of sponsors and exhibitors to date.
FF26 saw significant announcements and agreements building on previous collaborations. BBK unveiled a pilot project for "Google Cloud Universal Ledger" in partnership with ARRAY Innovation, exploring the use of distributed ledger technology in core banking. Beyon and barq Group announced a deal to merge Beyon Money's operations with barq's fintech platform.
BENEFIT announced that the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) will be the first banking partner in the "Trade Finance Registry" pilot, developed with MonetaGo and Bahrain FinTech Bay. Bahrain FinTech Bay also released its fourth fintech ecosystem report, highlighting Bahrain's progress and opportunities in AI and tokenization. NBB is also launching its third innovation program with BFB.
Further announcements included Beyon Connect's plans for an AML referral program and a collaboration with BENEFIT to explore synergies in digital services. BENEFIT and Huawei are also entering into an MoU to explore cooperation in digital infrastructure and AI. Kuwait Finance House – Bahrain and stc Bahrain are expanding their partnership to explore new digital solutions.
The event also introduced the "Tech Talent Hub," showcasing the role of Bahraini professionals in the global financial services sector. The event reinforced Bahrain's position as a growing fintech hub in the region.