Bahrain financial firms announce major growth and new AI bank at Gateway Gulf 2026

At the Gateway Gulf 2026 forum in Manama, several major financial institutions announced significant business developments and strategic expansions.

Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company and ARP Group have partnered to establish an AI-native wholesale bank in Bahrain. The proposed bank will utilize blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to serve regulated financial institutions, payment companies, and cross-border enterprises. The project has received principle approval from the Central Bank of Bahrain.

SICO BSC announced it has secured approximately USD 1.6 billion in new business from institutional and individual investors during 2026. This includes USD 1.4 billion in new inflows into managed funds and over USD 200 million in transactions across public and private markets.

Global investment manager Investcorp reported USD 11.1 billion in aggregate activity during the first nine months of 2026, including USD 4.8 billion raised and USD 3.7 billion deployed. The firm reported total assets under management of USD 65.2 billion as of September 2026.