Fintech Forward 2026 (FF26) wrapped up at Exhibition World Bahrain, attracting over 2,900 participants from both local and international arenas and showcasing over 60 MoUs, strategic partnerships, and significant initiatives.
The event’s fourth edition saw a 65 percent increase in announcements and signings compared to the previous year, marking its highest attendance of sponsors and exhibitors ever.
Organized by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) and developed by Forbes Middle East, the event received backing from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), Tamkeen, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), and Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB), focusing on the theme ‘Finance in the Era of Smart Infrastructure.’
One of the key announcements was a Google Cloud Universal Ledger pilot presented by BBK in partnership with Array Innovation, a company within the Mumtalakat portfolio.
The initiative examines cutting-edge digital ledger technology in BBK's essential functions for use in tokenized payments and programmable settlements.
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In telecom and fintech, Beyon and Barq Group revealed a deal that merges Beyon Money’s functions with Barq’s fintech platform, as Beyon is expected to maintain an economic stake pending regulatory approvals. Benefit declared NBB as the initial participating bank and key partner in its Trade Finance Registry pilot, created in collaboration with MonetaGo and BFB to reduce trade finance fraud.
Benefit also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Huawei to explore collaboration in digital infrastructure, AI, and new technologies, while forming a strategic alliance with Beyon Connect to seek joint regional and global fintech initiatives.
Fintech Forward 2026 (FF26) at Exhibition World Bahrain, attracting over 2,900 participants from both local and international arenas and showcasing over 60 MoUs, strategic partnerships, and significant initiatives. The event’s fourth edition saw a 65 percent increase in announcements and signings compared to the previous year, marking its highest attendance of sponsors and exhibitors ever.
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Organized by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) and developed by Forbes Middle East, the event received backing from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), Tamkeen, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), and Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB), focusing on the theme ‘Finance in the Era of Smart Infrastructure.’ One of the key announcements was a Google Cloud Universal Ledger pilot presented by BBK in partnership with Array Innovation, a company within the Mumtalakat portfolio.
The initiative examines cutting-edge digital ledger technology in BBK's essential functions for use in tokenized payments and programmable settlements.
In telecom and fintech, Beyon and Barq Group revealed a deal that merges Beyon Money’s functions with Barq’s fintech platform, as Beyon is expected to maintain an economic stake pending regulatory approvals.
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Benefit declared NBB as the initial participating bank and key partner in its Trade Finance Registry pilot, created in collaboration with MonetaGo and BFB to reduce trade finance fraud. Benefit also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Huawei to explore collaboration in digital infrastructure, AI, and new technologies, while forming a strategic alliance with Beyon Connect to seek joint regional and global fintech initiatives.