What To Know:
- BBK partners with Binance Bahrain to integrate crypto trading into its mobile banking app, pending approval from the Central Bank of Bahrain.
- This makes it the first GCC bank to adopt Binance’s Crypto-as-a-Service model.
- Customers will be able to buy, sell, and hold crypto directly within BBK’s app, without opening a separate exchange account, using Binance Bahrain’s regulated white-label infrastructure.
Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait has announced a partnership with Binance Bahrain that will allow its customers to access crypto services directly through BBK’s mobile banking app. However, this move still awaits for regulatory approval. With the move, BBK became the first bank in the Gulf Cooperation Council to adopt Binance’s Crypto-as-a-Service model.
Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait to Integrate Binance as CaaS
The agreement was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed at the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum Bahrain 2025. Even as the arrangement still needs final clearance from the Central Bank of Bahrain, it is seen as a practical step toward bringing regulated crypto activity closer to traditional financial services.
Once approved, BBK customers will no longer need to open a separate exchange account to trade crypto assets. Crypto trading and management will be embedded inside the existing BBK mobile application. Customers will be able to buy, sell, and hold crypto alongside deposits, cards, and investment products they already use.
The integration relies on Binance Bahrain’s white-label Crypto-as-a-Service infrastructure. Using plug-and-play application programming interfaces, BBK plans to offer a dedicated crypto dashboard within its app. Holdings will appear next to conventional accounts, allowing users to view their financial positions in one place. Transactions will be executed through Binance’s regulated local platform, while BBK retains its role as the primary customer interface.
BBK Group Chief Executive Yaser Alsharifi said “This partnership reflects BBK’s commitment to innovation and customer-centric digital transformation .”He called the integration a means to give customers greater choice in investing without compromising on security or control. The deal also benefits Binance Bahrain as part of its long-term plan to work with licensed banks instead of operating at the margins of the financial system. The co-operation bolsters Bahrain’s position as the regional epicenter for digital finance and regulated crypto, as General Manager Tameem Al Moosawi said. Binance insiders have repeatedly called the Crypto-as-a-Service model a bridge between global crypto infrastructure and local banking systems. The collaboration also underlines the solidity of a Bahraini approach to crypto regulation. Over the past few years, the Central Bank of Bahrain has issued licensing frameworks for crypto exchanges and service providers, enabling firms such as Binance Bahrain to operate with clear rules. By tying those services up with a major domestic bank, the country communicates comfort with disciplined growth, rather than with rapid experimentation.
Demand for crypto exposure remains high, especially among retail users who prefer a familiar banking setting, industry executives say. Catherine Chen, head of VIP and institutional business at Binance, said the BBK partnership allows digital assets to be offered at scale within a regulated setting, aligning with expectations from both customers and supervisors. BBK saw strong Q3 financial performance in its latest update. The bank posted a net profit of 17.9 million Bahraini dinars attributable to common shareholders during the Q3. Earnings per share increased by around 8.5 percent, rising to 10 fils from 9 fils a year earlier. Total comprehensive income for shareholders climbed sharply to 44.5 million dinars, more than double the amount recorded in the same quarter last year.
The improvement was supported by higher fee and commission income, which rose 6.1 percent to 5.2 million dinars. Net provisions declined significantly, falling to roughly 2 million dinars, easing pressure on the bank’s bottom line. The results give BBK added benefits as it now explores new digital offerings with Binance.
By combining a traditional banking balance sheet with crypto infrastructure, the BBK and Binance Bahrain partnership marks a measured shift in how digital assets may be distributed in the region. Instead of standalone platforms competing with banks, this model places crypto services inside licensed institutions, under local supervision.
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