S-GE Gold members
CHF 790.00
Business trips
Fintech Delegation to Bahrain
06-08Oct 2026
BahrainManama
Explore Bahrain’s fintech ecosystem first-hand during a compact group fact-finding mission. Bahrain combines a strong financial-services base with over 370 licensed banks and financial institutions and access to the US$2.38 trillion GCC market.
Held for the first time as a joint initiative between the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), the Embassy of Switzerland to the UAE & Bahrain, Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) and the Swiss Business Hub Middle East. The delegation, headed by the Swiss Ambassador, aims to directly engage with Bahrain fintech stakeholders.
The mission will take place on October 6 - 8, 2026 in conjunction with Fintech Forward 2026 and in partnership with Crypto Valley Association (CVA), Swiss FinTech Association (SFTA) and Swiss Fintech Innovations (SFTI).
Why participate
- Connect with the right people fast: curated agenda to access key ecosystem stakeholders - authorities, investors, and potential partners.
- Get clarity on regulation & licensing: understand practical pathways in a market overseen by a single regulator, the Central Bank of Bahrain.
- Validate regional scalability: leverage Bahrain as a gateway to the GCC to unlock access to a US$2.38 trillion market.
- Sense-check commercial viability: Bahrain has positioned itself as an efficient regional hub, offering an overall operating cost advantage of up to 48% compared to the region’s most expensive hubs.
- Spot pilots & partners quickly: identify concrete collaboration opportunities with local players - within three focused days.
Event information
Date
06 Oct 2026 - 08 Oct 2026
Place
.
Manama
Bahrain
Manama
Bahrain
Registration deadline
25 Sep 2026 17:00
Event languages
English
Organizer
S-GE, Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), Embassy of Switzerland to UAE & Bahrain, Swiss Business Hub Middle East
Target audience
The Forum offers a platform for fintech leaders to showcase their products and services to Bahrain companies, investors, stakeholders, and potential partners. It is all about facilitating discover, learning, and valuable networking opportunities.
Participation costs (excl. VAT)
S-GE Silver-, Swiss Business Council-, CVA-, SFTA- and SFTI-members
CHF 890.00
S-GE Start-up members
CHF 840.00
Non-members
CHF 940.00
Agenda
- Day 1 (Oct. 6, 2026)
- Day 2 (Oct. 7, 2026)
- Day 3 (Oct.8 , 2026)
- 11:00 30 mins
Briefing at Hotel (Downtown Rotana TBC)
- 11:30 30 mins
Transfer from hotel to EDB office for sessions with Bahrain ecosystem players
- 12:00 30 mins
Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB)
- 12:30 60 mins
Central Bank of Bahrain
- 14:00 30 mins
Tamkeen
Also called the Labour Fund, is a public authority / semi-government agency established in 2006 to strengthen Bahrain’s private sector and empower Bahraini talent. www.tamkeen.bh
- 14:30 30 mins
The BENEFIT Company
Bahrain’s national electronic payments infrastructure operator
- 15:00 30 mins
Bahrain Fintech Bay
- 16:00 30 mins
Transfer to Hotel
- 18:30 180 mins
VIP Reception hosted by Bahrain Economic Development Board
- 08:00 330 mins
FinTech Forward 2026
Location: Exhibition World Bahrain, Zallaq
- 13:30 60 mins
Pitching Opportunities
Audience: H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of Bahrain EDB along other senior people from government and C-suite members from the private sectors
- 15:30 120 mins
Cultural Program
Bus pickup from EWB at 3:30 pm back to hotel
- 19:00 150 mins
Reception hosted by the Swiss Ambassador to UAE + Bahrain
at The Kanoo Museum
- 08:00 360 mins
FinTech Forward 2026
Location: Exhibition World Bahrain, Zallaq
The above quoted costs include:
- Organization of S-GE for the events mentioned in the program
- Local transportation to events and visiting locations
- Food and beverages during the above mentioned events
and exclude:
- Flights and local transport to/from the airport
- Hotel accommodation, we are happy to give you a special rate code for your booking
- Any further food, beverages and other items not specifically mentioned
Disclaimer
Current Situation in the Middle East
The broader Middle East region is currently experiencing a period of significant geopolitical tension and active conflict. This is affecting business conditions across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
We are actively monitoring the situation and its implications for Swiss and Liechtenstein companies operating in or considering entry into this market. We recommend that exporters and investors closely assess their risk exposure and maintain regular contact with local partners and representatives.
Please refer to the Travel Advice from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) for the latest assessment and reach out to our consultant Suhail El Obeid or our ExportHelp team if you need personalized guidance.
