The Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, the leader in the field of retail and institutional banking services in the Kingdom of Bahrain, announced the signing of a strategic memorandum of understanding with “Binance”, the largest integrated global system specialized in the field of blockchain and crypto-assets trading, becoming the first bank and institution in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to join the “Binance Link” program.
This announcement came during the Gulf Gateway 2025 conference, the leading investment forum in the Kingdom of Bahrain, to constitute a prominent milestone in the digital transformation of the financial sector in the region and an important strategic step that strengthens the Kingdom of Bahrain’s position as a regional center for financial innovation. This partnership awaits the completion of final regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of Bahrain for its official approval.
Under this partnership, BBK will integrate the Crypto-as-a-Service system provided by Binance directly into its smartphone banking application via Plug & Play APIs, allowing the bank’s customers to manage and trade crypto assets seamlessly and with complete security without the need to create separate accounts with Binance. The new system will also provide a unified control panel within the application that enables users to review their investment portfolios and carry out their transactions in one platform that combines traditional banking tools and modern digital solutions, providing an integrated banking experience that reflects the development in the world of digital financial services.
On this occasion, Mr. Yasser Al-Sharifi, Group CEO of the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, said: “This partnership reflects the commitment of the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait to innovation and promoting digital transformation in the banking sector, as we seek to expand the scope of our investment services in line with our customers’ renewed needs and future aspirations. By integrating the advanced technical capabilities of Binance within our banking application, we provide our customers with a safe and smooth way to access broader investment opportunities that combine traditional financing and crypto-asset trading in one system.” Integrated, it contributes to improving the customer experience and consolidating the bank’s position as a pioneering financial institution in adopting innovative solutions.”
For his part, Mr. Tamim Al-Mousawi, General Manager of Binance Bahrain, said: “We are proud to cooperate with the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait in this pioneering initiative, which constitutes an important step towards enhancing financial inclusion and consolidating the Kingdom of Bahrain’s position as a leading regional destination in the field of crypto-assets trading. This cooperation embodies our commitment to supporting partners in the region and enabling them to employ blockchain technologies with the highest standards of efficiency and transparency.”
Mrs. Catherine Chen, Head of the VIP and Institutional Department at Binance, also stated: “In light of the rapid growth in global demand for crypto assets, we are pleased to cooperate with the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait to offer these assets to its clients on a broader scale, which opens new horizons for growth and innovation in the financial sector, in line with national trends towards a more innovative and diversified economy.”
This partnership comes within the framework of supporting the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national vision aimed at strengthening its position as a leading center for digital asset trading in the region. It also falls within the bank’s strategy to shift towards integrated banking services, which aims to provide a comprehensive package of financial solutions that combine traditional deposits and investments, in addition to digital assets, within a unified and easy-to-use platform.
It is expected that, after completing the final regulatory approvals, BBK customers will be able to immediately access Binance services and products directly through the bank’s application, and benefit from an integrated digital banking experience that keeps pace with the global transformation towards an economy based on innovation and modern financial technologies.
