Bahrain's Mumtalakat and ARP Group Plan AI-Native Wholesale Bank

Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and ARP Group have 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 forum.

The proposed institution is designed to serve institutional clients with regional and international banking needs, positioning Bahrain as a hub for next-generation financial infrastructure in the Gulf region. The collaboration brings together Mumtalakat's state-backed capital and strategic reach with ARP Group's financial services expertise.

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The announcement signals growing momentum among Gulf sovereign wealth funds to move beyond traditional investment mandates and into the direct development of technology-forward financial institutions. By embedding artificial intelligence into the bank's core architecture from inception rather than retrofitting legacy systems, the partners aim to differentiate the venture from established regional competitors.

Bahrain has long cultivated a reputation as a regional fintech and financial services center, and the project aligns with broader national efforts to diversify the kingdom's economy and attract institutional capital flows. The Gateway Gulf forum served as the backdrop for the announcement, underscoring the deal's significance within the region's financial calendar.

Full terms of the partnership and a projected timeline for the bank's launch were not disclosed in the initial announcement. Continue reading at All Financial Services & Investing.