The FinTech Forward 2025, organised by the Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), concluded on a high note, bringing together global policymakers, investors, innovators and industry leaders to explore how technology is reshaping the financial landscape.
This year’s forum marked its most successful edition yet, with record participation, sponsorships and partnerships. Thirty-eight agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed across the fintech, digital infrastructure and financial services sectors, reflecting growing investor confidence in Bahrain’s dynamic fintech ecosystem.
Bahrain continues to strengthen its reputation as a leading regional hub for financial innovation. The event drew around 2,000 participants and featured wide international representation from across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the United States.
Among the highlights was the successful pilot of a new Google Cloud payments infrastructure, a collaboration involving Bahrain FinTech Bay, the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), BisB, BBK and BENEFIT. The initiative introduces instant digital payments between banks through Google Cloud’s Universal Ledger technology, signalling a major leap towards a smarter, faster and more connected financial future.