Manama, Bahrain – 7 October 2026: In the presence of H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy, H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), moderated a high-level session titled “The Bahrain Advantage: Aligning Regulation, Investment, and Growth”, featuring H.E. Khalid Humaidan, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), as part of the fourth edition of Fintech Forward 2026. The event is organised by Bahrain EDB, with the support of the CBB, the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), and Bahrain FinTech Bay, with Forbes Middle East responsible for its programme and agenda.

Held at Exhibition World Bahrain under the theme “Finance in the Age of Intelligent Infrastructure”, the event brought together experts, decision-makers and innovators to discuss developments in financial technology.

During the session, the Minister of Sustainable Development and the CBB Governor discussed a range of topics, including the evolution of Bahrain’s fintech ecosystem over the past four years, the future of regulatory frameworks, the Kingdom’s connections with global financial centres, and the talent and skills needed to support Bahrain’s long-term sustainable growth.

The Governor highlighted Bahrain’s progress in strengthening its position as a leading financial centre through continued technological innovation, noting fintech’s role in enabling faster and more efficient transactions and the potential of blockchain, digital assets, programmable money and smart contracts to develop financial services and reshape the future of payments and credit.

The Governor also highlighted the importance of continued investment in technology by central banks and regulators, noting the role of supervisory technology in strengthening oversight and safeguarding financial stability and consumers. He also underscored the importance of international collaboration with global financial centres to support the growth and competitiveness of Bahrain’s financial services sector.

Concluding the session, the Governor reaffirmed that financial stability remains a key pillar of a strong and competitive financial sector, while emphasizing the importance of the sector’s continued contribution to economic growth, attracting foreign investment, developing national talent and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a leading hub for financial innovation and technology.