Mumtalakat, ARP Group to Launch AI-Native Wholesale Bank in Bahrain
Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund and ARP Group are partnering to create an AI-native wholesale bank serving institutional clients regionally and internationally.
Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and ARP Group announced a partnership to establish an artificial intelligence-native wholesale bank in Bahrain, according to a statement released on the sidelines of the Gateway Gulf 2026 conference in Manama.
The proposed institution is designed to serve institutional clients with both regional and international banking requirements, positioning Bahrain as a hub for next-generation financial infrastructure in the Gulf. The AI-native designation signals an intent to build core banking operations around artificial intelligence from the ground up, rather than retrofitting legacy systems.
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Mumtalakat manages the Kingdom's non-oil investments and has a track record of backing strategic ventures aimed at diversifying Bahrain's economy. Its involvement lends sovereign credibility to the project and underscores the government's broader push to attract fintech and advanced financial services to the island nation.
The announcement comes as Gulf states intensify competition to draw institutional capital and innovative financial firms, with Bahrain leveraging its established regulatory framework under the Central Bank of Bahrain as a differentiator. Wholesale banking focused on institutional clients — rather than retail depositors — allows the new venture to target a narrower but higher-value segment of the market.
Full details of capitalization, regulatory timelines, and operational launch targets have not yet been disclosed. Continue reading at All Financial Services & Investing.
