Bahrain's fintech regulatory framework under CBB — the first GCC country to introduce open banking — including sandbox, digital banking licences, and payment regulations.
Ask GCC LexAI about Fintech →The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has a dedicated regulatory sandbox and has issued frameworks for crypto-assets, payment services, and open banking. Bahrain was the first GCC country to regulate crypto-asset services comprehensively.
CBB's Open Banking Framework mandates licensed banks to offer open APIs, enabling third-party providers to access account information and initiate payments, positioning Bahrain as a fintech hub in the GCC.
CBB offers various licences including Payment Service Provider, Electronic Money Institution, and Crypto-Asset Module authorisations. The regulatory sandbox allows testing under a relaxed regime before full authorisation.