Fintech Forward 2025 Concludes with Major Strategic Partnerships and Agreements

Fintech Forward 2025 Concludes with Record-Setting Partnerships

The Fintech Forward 2025 (FF25), organized by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), recently concluded in a grand fashion at the Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB). This year's edition marked a significant milestone with the signing of 38 strategic partnerships and agreements, indicating deepening industry collaboration and growing investor confidence in Bahrain's fintech sector.

Drawing over 2,000 participants from around the globe, as well as key financial and technology stakeholders, this event has solidified Bahrain's positioning as a leading hub for financial innovation. For the third consecutive year, FF25 showcased its strength, attracting more sponsors and partnerships than ever before. Delegates from various countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, the US, and India, were in attendance.

Among the noteworthy collaborations announced was a successful pilot project for a new Google Cloud infrastructure for payments. This historic collaboration involved key financial players such as Bahrain Fintech Bay, the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), and BENEFIT, facilitating real-time payments utilizing digital bank funds on Google Cloud’s Universal Ledger. This initiative emphasizes Bahrain's role as a testing ground for next-generation financial technologies and its ability to foster relevant cross-border collaboration.

Additionally, the Bahrain EDB welcomed a delegation from the UK Department for Business and Trade, comprising 70 delegates from 36 fintech companies. This event marked the largest delegation the UK Ministry has ever led to a single country, underlining shared ambitions to promote cross-border innovation, financial cooperation, and sustainable economic growth.

Highlighting the urgency of this mission, several UK companies announced their launch in Bahrain, including Umazi, Ajyad, Valexa, and Aman by Themis, reinforcing the Kingdom's appeal as a gateway for international fintech expansion. The theme of this year's event, "The Era of Integration: The Age of Fintech Maturity", attracted over 40 speakers, including global regulators, financial strategists, fintech pioneers, and world-renowned innovators such as Zhang (CZ) from Binance and Dhiraj Mukherjee, co-founder of Shazam. This diverse lineup further elevated FF25 as a premier global stage for innovation and attracted dialogue among leaders poised to reshape industries and redefine interactions between technology and financial services.

Throughout the event, discussions covered a myriad of topics shaping the financial landscape, including the rise of integrated infrastructure, AI adoption, open banking, Islamic fintech, digital payments, and the future of regulation. During the last decade, Bahrain has significantly transformed its financial services landscape through progressive regulation, advanced digital infrastructure, and a robust commitment to innovation. The financial sector is a key contributor to Bahrain's GDP, representing 17.2% of the economy in 2024, thereby driving economic growth.

Led by the Central Bank of Bahrain, which serves as the Kingdom's unique and adaptive regulatory authority, the financial sector is poised for further growth under the Financial Services Sector Development Strategy (2022-2026). This strategy supports innovation, talent development, and sustainable growth, leveraging Bahrain's strategic location, a business-friendly environment, a skilled workforce, and sophisticated digital infrastructure to act as a launchpad for scalable cross-border fintech solutions and a gateway to the $2.15 trillion GCC market.

Fintech Forward remains a critical element in driving investment, fostering innovation, and shaping the future of finance in the region. With momentum stronger than ever, Fintech Forward is set to return in 2026 to continue its mission as the leading platform for dialogue, collaboration, and transformation within the digital finance space. For information on next year’s edition, FF26, please click here.