Islamic Financial Services

As both a regional and global leader in Islamic finance, Bahrain benefits from supportive regulation, capable human resources, and a reputation for diversified and mature offerings. Demonstrating this, the Islamic banking and insurance segments have recorded elevated growth rates compared to their conventional counterparts in recent years, even as the industry faced macroeconomic headwinds. Islamic banks are well positioned to implement new accounting standards despite some anticipated near-term pains. The government’s efforts to promote and expand financial technology could bring additional benefits to Islamic financial services. From a sharia-compliant, blockchain-supported cryptocurrency exchange to open banking initiatives, Islamic offerings will continue to benefit from policies aimed at maintaining Bahrain’s competitiveness.