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.