Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) has made an agreement with Binance Bahrain to add cryptocurrency trading services directly to its digital banking platform. This announcement came at the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum 2025. With this move, BBK becomes the first bank in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to join the Binance Link Programme.  The partnership still needs final approval from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB). Once approved, BBK will use Binance’s white-label ‘Crypto-as-a-Service’ (CaaS) model. Seamless Integration for Retail Clients As outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), BBK plans to integrate Binance’s technology into its current mobile banking app using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). When this is up and running, customers will be able to buy, sell, and hold digital assets without leaving the bank’s app or needing a separate Binance account.  A special interface in the BBK app will give users a complete view of their financial portfolio, showing traditional savings and investment products alongside their crypto holdings. Regional Implications This partnership marks a change in the regional banking sector as it embraces regulated digital assets. By using Binance’s technology, BBK hopes to connect traditional fiat banking with the growing digital economy.  Yaser Alsharifi, Group Chief […]