KFH-Bahrain backs Fintech Forward 2026 as Diamond Sponsor

Kuwait Finance House-Bahrain has joined Fintech Forward 2026 as a Diamond Sponsor, adding its backing to the fourth edition of Bahrain’s flagship financial services forum scheduled for October 7 and 8.

The bank said it will also operate a pavilion in the exhibition area at Exhibition World Bahrain, where visitors will be able to learn about its digital banking services and technology-led offerings.

Fintech Forward 2026 is hosted by the Bahrain Economic Development Board and supported by the Central Bank of Bahrain, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority and Bahrain FinTech Bay. Its programme is being developed by Forbes Middle East under the theme “Finance in the Age of Intelligent Infrastructure”.

KFH-Bahrain Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Shadi Zahran said rapid changes in financial technology had made innovation and adaptation to digital transformation essential for improving banking services and meeting customer expectations.

He said the bank’s Diamond Sponsorship reflected its support for a forum that provides a platform for examining developments across financial services and discussing opportunities and challenges facing the sector.

Zahran said KFH-Bahrain continued to invest in digital capabilities and banking solutions intended to meet customers’ needs and support Bahrain’s ambitions for a more innovative and competitive economy.

The bank said its KFHOnline digital platform currently offers more than 200 digital services. It is also developing its digital infrastructure through artificial intelligence and automation while strengthening cybersecurity initiatives, with the stated aim of improving customer experience, operational efficiency and access to banking services.

The sponsorship places KFH-Bahrain alongside other major financial institutions backing this year’s forum. National Bank of Bahrain was announced as the first Diamond Sponsor on September 1, while Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait subsequently joined at the same sponsorship level.

Organisers expect FF26 to bring together financial-sector executives, fintech innovators, policymakers and technology specialists from Bahrain, the wider region and international markets. The event will include keynote sessions, panel discussions, exhibitions and networking opportunities designed to encourage exchanges between established financial institutions, technology companies and other participants in the financial ecosystem.

Bahrain EDB has said the fourth edition will examine challenges confronting the financial-services industry and investment opportunities linked to its next phase of growth. The programme is expected to focus particularly on closer integration across financial systems, regulation and infrastructure, as well as opportunities for scalable innovation.

Mohammed AlAlawi, Chief of Marketing and Communications at Bahrain EDB, said when the event was announced in August that Fintech Forward had developed into a significant industry gathering supported by financial institutions and ecosystem partners.

He said financial services contribute more than 17 per cent of Bahrain’s gross domestic product, giving the forum a role in showcasing the sector’s development and its contribution to innovation and economic growth.

The 2026 theme reflects growing attention within banking to infrastructure capable of supporting artificial intelligence, automation, data-driven services and increasingly interconnected financial platforms. For KFH-Bahrain, the forum also provides a venue to present the digital services it has been expanding across its retail and institutional banking operations.

The bank has pursued several technology-focused partnerships during 2026. In February, it announced a strategic agreement with Beyon Money under which KFH-Bahrain became the primary banking partner for the company’s operations, providing Banking-as-a-Service infrastructure supporting digital payments, instant transfers, virtual-account creation and real-time reconciliation.

That initiative formed part of the bank’s broader investment in digital financial services, an area it says is intended to improve efficiency while widening access to products through electronic channels.

KFH-Bahrain has also supported business and investment forums in Bahrain this year. In February it served as a strategic sponsor of the sixth World Entrepreneurs Investment Forum at Exhibition World Bahrain, an event focused on entrepreneurship and sustainable investment.