The Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Kingdom (UK) have reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing knowledge-exchange, trade, and cross-border partnerships with an extensive three-day UK-delegation visit, which was jointly coordinated by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB) and the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
Underscoring the robust strength of the longstanding bilateral relationship between the two nations, united by a collective ambition to drive growth in the digital economy and spearhead transformative innovation in the financial services industry, Bahrain hosted over 70 delegates from 36 UK-based fintech companies—the largest fintech delegation the Department has ever led to any country. The delegation’s participation at Fintech Forward 2025 (FF25) - the region’s premier two-day fintech event, which kicked off with a networking reception – was a strategic component of the mission’s agenda.
The programme brought together senior government officials, regulators, and leading fintech innovators from both countries to explore new areas of cooperation and showcase the evolution of Bahrain’s dynamic fintech ecosystem. Katie Ramsey, Head of FinTech at UK DBT, participated in the panel discussion at FF25 entitled ‘Charting the next frontier for digital assets.’ The session focused on how innovations in fintech, such as stablecoins, central bank digital currencies, blockchain infrastructure, and AI-driven wallets, are blurring the lines between payments, assets, and infrastructure.
The visit was further complemented with high-level exploratory meetings with key ecosystem stakeholders across the island nation’s financial services ecosystem, namely the Central Bank of Bahrain, the BENEFIT Company, the Bahrain Labour Fund (Tamkeen), and Bahrain FinTech Bay – an ecosystem builder that incubates impactful and scalable fintech initiatives through innovation labs, acceleration programs, curated activities, and educational opportunities. Discussions centred on regulatory innovation, digital transformation, and opportunities to enhance cross-border financial connectivity.
A highlight of FF25 held under the banner of ‘Advancing Bahrain–UK Partnerships in Fintech and Innovation,’ featured high-level opening remarks delivered by H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of the Bahrain EDB; H.E. Khalid Humaidan, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, and H.E. Alastair Long, British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain. The segment spotlighted leading UK-based fintech firms, including AMAN Powered by Themis, Oxford Risk, Money Squirrel, Greengage, JustTip, Escode, SaaScada, Raidiam, SensFish, and BKN 301, presenting their innovative solutions to regional investors and ecosystem players.
Supported by Bahrain’s Labour Fund, Tamkeen, the launch of AMAN powered by Themis - a fintech built by financial crime experts, simplifying risk management through smart technology – was celebrated both on stage at FF25 and at the British Embassy in Manama. AMAN, led by Themis Founder and CEO Dickon Johnstone and AMAN CEO Fawzi Al-Aradi, is actively contributing to Bahrain’s ambition to become a regional model for AI-driven financial crime prevention and fintech innovation.
Katie Ramsey, Head of FinTech at the UK DBT, said, “The collaboration between the UK and Bahrain continues to set an example of how open dialogue, regulatory innovation, and shared ambition can drive growth across the global fintech landscape. Bahrain’s forward-thinking ecosystem and commitment to digital transformation make it an exceptional partner for UK fintechs seeking to expand into the Middle East.”
Dalal Buhejji, Executive Director of Financial Services at the Bahrain EDB, added, “We are proud to welcome UK delegation to Bahrain as part of this partnership with DBT, a testament to our island nation’s growing reputation as a gateway for innovation and cross-border collaboration owing to Bahrain’s open borders and strategic international partnerships that have resulted in a business-friendly environment for global investors. The active participation of the UK-based fintechs underscores Bahrain’s demonstrated ability to attract forward-thinking companies that are pushing the boundaries of advanced technology and ideation, adding to the depth and diversity of our thriving financial technology ecosystem, laying the foundation for seamless business collaboration and long-term economic growth.”
During the flagship fintech event, UK WealthTech firm Velexa signed an agreement on stage with Ajyad Capital, an investment management firm licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), where Velexa’s technology and white-label trading applications will serve as the backbone for Ajyad’s upcoming Shari’ah-compliant digital trading app, designed to deliver investing services to a range of customer segments in the GCC and beyond. Additionally, Umazi, a UK-based Fintech company that provides digital identity and compliance services, signed an agreement with Bahrain Fintech Bay to advance the development and acceleration of Bahrain’s fintech ecosystem through collaborative initiatives, including co-hosted events, thought leadership content, market studies, research projects, and training programs.
