Mumtalakat, ARP Group Plan AI-Native Wholesale Bank in Bahrain
MANAMA – November 01, 2026 -- Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, and ARP Group have partnered to establish an AI-native, blockchain-enabled wholesale bank headquartered in Bahrain, which has already received in-principle approval from the Central Bank of Bahrain.
The venture will begin regulated activities only after it obtains final authorisation. The partnership was announced on the sidelines of Gateway Gulf 2026.
Bank targets regulated institutions, payment firms and cross-border businesses
The proposed bank is intended to serve regulated financial institutions, payment companies and businesses operating across several markets and currencies. It aims to use technology to reduce the complexity and cost of serving these clients.
ARP Group is the holding company of ARP Global Capital and ARP Digital. Yusuf Alireza co-founded ARP Digital with Abdulla and Abdulaziz Kanoo.