3,000 Bahrain retailers now offer crypto payments with Binance Pay

3,000 Bahrain retailers now offer crypto payments with Binance Pay

Binance Pay has announced that it is now offering its cryptocurrency transaction platform with over 3,000 Bahrain retailers. Binance pay is working with online as well as physical store to offer secure crypto payments.

The Bahrain retailers include names such as Sharaf DG, the electronic retailer in Bahrain. In addition to local fast food chain Jasmis, as well as STC Bahrain, LuLu HyperMarket, Dose Café, Al Zin Jewellry, Salmabad, Wadi Al Sail and Hawar, petrol stations, Pet Arabia, Premier Motors Showroom, Reebok store and many more.

As per the announcement, “With the continuously growing adoption of blockchain technology and digital currencies, this revolution is just the beginning. Be part of it by supporting these merchants and making a transaction the Binance way!”

In January 2023 Binance celebrated its official entrance into Bahrain. Binance received its official license in October 2022. On entrance Binance Pay partnered with Bahrain Eazy Pay to introduce crypto payments for Bahrain real estate developer Bin Faqeeh Real estate Investment.

Binance also launched crypto futures products in Bahrain after receiving regulatory permission.  With this Binance Bahrain BSC became the first regulated exchange in the region to offer these services and the only exchange with a CAT4 license.

This came after Binance suspended its crypto debit card services in Latin America and the Middle East from Aug. 25. The crypto debit card services in Latin America and the Middle East were terminated Sept. 21, but the exchange claimed refunds and disputes could still be processed until Dec. 20, 2023.

Bahrain ABC Bank goes live with JP Morgan’s Blockchain payments

Bahrain ABC Bank goes live with JP Morgan’s Blockchain payments

Bahrain based ABC bank after two years of piloting, J.P. Morgan’s Coin Systems, a blockchain based permissioned system that serves as a payment rail and deposit account ledger and sits within Onyx by J.P. Morgan has gone live with the blockchain payments solution.

Prior to this ABC bank had been piloting GCC region’s first blockchain based cross border instant payment solutions as well as CBDC project with the Central Bank of Bahrain. In 2020 The Central Bank of Bahrain collaborated with J P Morgan and Bank ABC in a pilot scheme to introduce instantaneous cross border payment solution leveraging state of the art technology and digital currency. The pilot was successfully completed in 2022. 

As such the soft launch of the new blockchain payment service by ABC Bank, is in close collaboration with the Central Bank of Bahrain.  The Central Bank of Bahrain has supported the project by integrating and scaling the blockchain payments solution within the Kingddom’s payments landscape.

On this occasion, His Excellency the Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, Mr. Rasheed AlMaraj, stated, “After working closely with JP Morgan and Bank ABC over the past two years to experiment the execution of cross-border commercial transactions between Bahrain and the U.S., leveraging the J.P. Morgan Coin System, we are pleased to witness the soft launch of this innovative banking solution by a Bahraini-based bank.  This initiative aligns with the CBB’s strategic vision to embrace innovation and digitalize the Kingdom’s financial services sector by eliminating inefficiencies that exist in traditional cross-border payment railways, facilitating trade between Bahrain and the U.S., and thereby inducing economic activity. We commend Bank ABC on their commitment to enhance their banking offerings by leveraging advanced global technologies.”

Mr. Sael Al Waary, Bank ABC Group CEO, said: “As an international bank operating across five continents, Bank ABC Group is committed to introducing innovative products to our home market and across our wider network. Offering high-value cross-border payments via the J.P. Morgan Coin Systems service, allows us to reduce traditional settlement periods considerably as well as being more cost-effective for our clients. We remain steadfast as a key enabler of Bahrain’s vision for a digital economy. We would like to thank our partners the Central Bank of Bahrain for their commitment and leadership and J.P. Morgan for their leading role in advancing cross-border payments for banking services.”

Naveen Mallela, Global Head of Onyx Coin Systems, said “Bank ABC has been one of the earliest adopters of the JPM Coin offering and we are delighted to launch the first of its kind commercial payment offering between J.P. Morgan and Bank ABC using distributed ledger rails. This enables cross-border commercial transactions to be executed between Bahrain and US corridors instantly, atomically and with certainty.”

While the offering has been launched with USD and locations involving Bahrain, US, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, additional locations and currencies, notably Euro, are in the pipeline. Going forward with the planned introduction of programmable payment offerings, it will enable mutual corporate clients to leverage event driven and automated payouts enabling a dynamic and real time treasury management.

MRHB network partners with Bahrain’s Shari’ah bureau for DeFi product

MRHB network partners with Bahrain’s Shari’ah bureau for DeFi product

The Singapore headquartered,MRHB Network which provides interest-free DeFi, NFT and halal crypto asset opportunities has partnered up with Shari’ah Review Bureau (“SRB”), a Bahrain-based Shari’ah advisory firm, to independently assess and review its new product EMPLIFAI (Earnings Amplified with Algorithms & AI) which aims to provide Sharia-compliant passive income.   

“The MRHB ecosystem aims for a wide array of crypto-based DeFi solutions”, explained Naquib Mohammed, Founder and CEO of MRHB Network. “After a successful launch of the Sahal Wallet app, a multichain self-custodial digital wallet, we are pleased to present our new product to the Muslim community – a liquidity harvester product, EMPLIFAI which incorporates a Sharia-compliant mechanism and structure for users to invest and generate passive income.”  

EMPLIFAI is designed to generate income mainly from DeFi activities such as yield farming, liquidity mining, bridge protocol fees and arbitrage opportunities. It will be rolled out in two phases, namely V1 and Version Pro. V1 will be for retail users whereas Version Pro (in the pipeline) will be catered to institutional participants.  

DeFi (decentralized finance) is a rapidly growing sector within the digital asset industry. The value locked in DeFi protocols has grown from billions to tens of billions of dollars in just a few years, and the space is expected to continue its growth in 2023. 

Commenting upon the engagement with SRB, Naquib Mohammed said, “Bringing SRB on board to review, assess and eventually audit EMPLIFAI’s processes, legal documents and the passive income mechanism in light of Shari’ah further strengthen our trust for our shareholders and the users. SRB is one of the few Shari’ah advisory firms that works with fintech companies with a diverse product offering and we leveraged on their experience.”   

Yasser S. Dahlawi, Founder and CEO of SRB added, “EMPLIFAI product exhibits a growing trend in the community that seeks an alternative investment and return from blockchain asset class. We will continue to help MRHB in its product enhancement and Shari’ah compliance as it scales its offering in the blockchain sphere with Version 2.”

With the growing development and success of MRHB Network halal crypto ecosystem, MRHB is currently closing its bridge to Series A round from strategic partners and expanding to the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia before the close of 2023. 

Naquib Mohammed speaking to Laraontheblock states, “ I am extremely proud of the MRHB Shariah Team and the Engineering Team, to have successfully launched an industry first liquidity harvesting protocol that is tailored to address the faith based crypto community. Testament to our efforts is the approval stamp of the Central Bank of Bahrain regulated SRB, who certified our product and architecture without a single correction remark. This itself proves the high quality of the deliverable that the teams have succeeded in creating. Emplifai is a gift of MRHB to the world, where the halal oriented community can reap the benefits of DeFi, just not with compromising their beliefs , but also their principal amount. The nature of Emplifai is such that it preserves the defi user from the volatility of the crypto market, hence a relief to a newbie.”

Binance launches crypto futures products in Bahrain after it ends its crypto debit card offering with MasterCard

Binance launches crypto futures products in Bahrain after it ends its crypto debit card offering with MasterCard

Binance crypto exchange has announced the launch of crypto futures products in Bahrain after receiving regulatory permission.  With this Binance Bahrain BSC becomes the  first regulated exchange in the region to offer these services and the only exchange with a CAT4 licence.

The launch of these products follows a comprehensive regulatory review and consultation period to ensure that Binance Bahrain BSC, which operates the regulated Binance Bahrain platform, has met the necessary compliance and governance requirements to offer futures products locally in a regulated manner.

Eligible local users must complete and pass a mandatory suitability assessment questionnaire in order to access the products.

Tameem Al-Moosawi, General Manager of Binance Bahrain, said: “Binance is committed to compliance and its users, and we are focused on building the local digital assets ecosystem that is sustainable for the long-term.”

This announcement comes after cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced it  will suspend its crypto debit card services in Latin America and the Middle East from Aug. 25. The crypto debit card services in Latin America and the Middle East will be terminated by Sept. 21, but the exchange claimed refunds and disputes can still be processed until Dec. 20, 2023.

Binance was working with Mastercard in Bahrain but the crypto card program has been ended. Mastercard and crypto exchange Binance  ended four crypto card programmes in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Bahrain as of Sept. 22, a spokesperson for Mastercard said via email on Thursday.

The Binance cards allowed users to make payments in traditional currencies, funded by their cryptocurrency holdings on the exchange.

India’s CoinDCX investment into UAE BitOasis crypto broker breaths new life into the company

India’s CoinDCX investment into UAE BitOasis crypto broker breaths new life into the company

UAE based BitOasis crypto broker exchange has announced that it has secured an investment from CoinDCX, India’s biggest crypt exchange. This comes after BitOasis’s license was suspended by VARA for not meeting requirements. The latest investment will give BitOasis a new life line.

As per the news, the new capital injection will help to support BitOasis’s vision to amplify its regional presence and secure further licenses in the region.

Commenting on the news, Ola Doudin, Co-Founder and CEO of BitOasis said: “We are delighted to be working with CoinDCX, India’s leading crypto platform. From our first conversations, it was clear we share a common vision and synergies across our markets that we look forward to building towards. The investment will allow us to sharpen our focus on perfecting our existing products and expanding across our markets. We are very excited about the opportunities the funding will unlock for us.”

Sumit Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of CoinDCX stated: “We are immensely excited about investing in BitOasis, the largest crypto trading platform in the Mena region. We have been impressed by BitOasis’s excellent product offering, strong leadership and their persistence to serve customers in the most secure and compliant manner.”

The investment comes after news that CoinDCX was in talks to acquire BitOasis. BitOasis in the past month had let go of more than 30 employees.

Prior to that VARA had freezed BitOasis’s MVP operational license for non compliance to requirements set by the Dubai virtual asset regulator.

With this an Indian crypto exchange now has a foothold in the MENA region with the investment in BitOasis.

Highest salaries for Blockchain developers are in KSA, followed by Oman, Bahrain and Qatar

Highest salaries for Blockchain developers are in KSA, followed by Oman, Bahrain and Qatar


The Blockchain related job market in the GCC MENA region is growing, and salaries differ between varying GCC countries depending on need, and availability.

According to Salary Explorer 2023 reports, the average blockchain developer salary in the UAE per month is $3348 ( 12,300 AED), in Oman $3922 (1,510 OMR), in KSA $3945 (14,800 SAR), in Qatar $3597 (13,100 QAR), in Bahrain $3630  ( 1,370 BHD), while in Egypt and Morocco the average salary is $266 ( 8,230 EGP), and $1810 ( 17,500 MAD).

Interestingly others have noted that the average crypto salary per month in Dubai is $6582. As per their report salary estimates are based on anonymous submissions by cryptos, website users collected in Dubai from past and present job posts.

Concurringly a number of entities in the UAE are requesting job positions. One example is Crypto.com that is hiring a Web3 senior regulatory reporting analyst, in Dubai.

Recently as wel the Commercial Bank of Dubai was searching for Head of CBDC digital technology with yearly salary of $350,000.

Emagine Solutions FZE in Abu Dhabi was also requesting a job as it has been retained on a CBDC project within the UAE. The candidate could have experience as Head of Digital Banking, Head of Technology, EVP or SVP level.

As per the job description, the candidate will  work within a specialist business unit focused on developing the the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) which will be responsible for analysing the opportunities and challenges presented by CBDC and developing the design of a CBDC. The candidate will be expected to offer input to and be the principal source of technological advice on other forms of digital assets (e.g., stablecoin). The monthly salary range is set anywhere between $30,000- $50,0000.

These job postings for blockchain, CBDC, and other crypto related opportunities are increasing in the region. Prior to this, there were requests for blockchain developers in UAE, for example at FuCoin, Swisstronic, Deriv, Storm2, as well as digital assets custody professional for Binance UAE.

A CoinJournal crypto job research published in November 2022 stated that the UAE has 137 crypto career listings or 14.51 jobs per one million people, which is the ninth highest globally, the research showed. There are more crypto-related jobs in the UAE than in other markets like Australia, Canada, France or Germany

The growth of the blockchain and crypto ecosystem in the region is pushing the growth of jobs in the field. We should see more of these postings in the future especially in KSA, Oman, and Qatar, as well as the UAE.

Bahrain licensed CoinMENA crypto exchange has 250,000 users and intends to grow its base

Bahrain licensed CoinMENA crypto exchange has 250,000 users and intends to grow its base

In a recent LinkedInpost, MENA crypto exchange CoinMENA fully regulated in Bahrain came out with a new marketing campaign announcing that as a licensed exchange it is serving more than 250,000 users across 8 countries including Bahrain, UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Iraq and Egypt.

Basing their marketing campaign on the concept of trading on a licensed exchange, CoinMENA is calling crypto traders to trade with them given they unlike other unlicensed exchanges are licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain, with a category 3 license.

This campaign comes weeks after UAE’s BitOasis lost its active status for its MVP operational license after VARA, Dubai’s virtual asset regulatory authority, issued a market notificiation stating that it had taken enforcement actions against BitOasis and advised investors and consumers that BitOasis’s MVP operational license is under review for not meeting mandated conditions.

BitOasis had been the first crypto exchange to receive an MVP operational license but was then quick to lose it. Binance now holds this status with Dubai’s VARA authority. BitOasis had applied for a license in Bahrain as well. Additionally CoinMENA is also seeking a license with VARA. 

It would seem that the new marketing campaign by CoinMENA is partly rubbing it in that others have lost their licenses and are unlicensed anywhere, while they have one. Qudos to CoinMENA for making lemonade from the lemons of others!

Bahrain based RAIN crypto exchange broker receives full license in UAE

Bahrain based RAIN crypto exchange broker receives full license in UAE

While Bahrain based Rain crypto broker exchange had sent out a teaser last week saying a big announcement was coming, Citywire published an announcement on July 25th 2023 saying that RAIN trading Limited ( Rain ADGM) has been granted Abu Dhabi Global Market virtual asset brokerage and custody service license.

This comes just after BitOasis’s active operational license was suspended by Dubai’s virtual asset regulatory Authority.

According to CityWire, “Rain ADGM will offer institutional and a number of retail clients in the UAE the ability to buy, sell and store virtual assets, in addition to having a fiat-to-virtual asset onramp in AED.”

Joseph Dallago, CEO of Rain, stated to CityWire ‘This achievement represents a significant milestone not just for Rain, but for the entire virtual assets industry. With this license, we can now offer our customers an even greater level of security and trust, as we continue to drive innovation and growth in the virtual assets space. Rain now offers the only regulated on-ramp and off-ramp of AED into virtual assets in the UAE.”

Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Of Market development at ADG added, “With the inclusion of companies like Rain, we are continuously trying to add value to Abu Dhabi’s digital asset ecosystem, This is while also supporting the diversification of our flourishing economy.”

In 2022 , cryptocurrency platform Rain received in-principle approval for financial services permission (FSP) from Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGB), which if it is fully approved will allow it to operate beyond the GCC region and offer a greater number of virtual asset pairs.

The in-principle approval was granted by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) to Rain Financial Group’s ADGM registered entity Rain Trading Limited. Prior to that the company had raised$110 million in Series B funding .

At the time of receiving in principle approval, Rain co-founder Yehia Badawy  had said, “Working with regulatory bodies such as the FSRA is one of the fastest and most secure ways to offer cryptocurrencies to the region and benefits both customers and governmental bodies alike. We look forward to working hard to fulfil all IPA conditions to the satisfaction of the FSRA in order to obtain the FSP to operate.”

Rain was founded in 2017 by Abdullah Almoaiqel, AJ Nelson, Joseph Dallago, and Yehia Badawy.

Bitget crypto exchange to hire 60 staff for its regional Middle East headquarters eyeing UAE and Bahrain

Bitget crypto exchange to hire 60 staff for its regional Middle East headquarters eyeing UAE and Bahrain

Bitget, crypto derivatives exchange has expanded into the Middle East with plans to hire 60 new staff for its regional headquarters. Bitget is currently serving over 8 million users in more than 100 countries and regions, the exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter by providing a secure, one-stop trading solution

Bitget is preparing to launch either in  Bahrain and or the UAE, including such as the crypto-friendly emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah. The expansion foresees the setting up regional headquarter, as well as the recruitment of new team members who will be assigned various mid-office and back-office functions.

Recent statistical data on MENA region crypto adoption indicates that it is home to the fastest-growing cryptocurrency industry, taking up a 9.2% share of global transactions in the period from 2021 to 2022. The UAE alone experienced 400% growth in the number of registered crypto businesses between 2020 and 2022, leading to a surge in global digital asset trading, accounting for 10% of global volume. In addition, the region saw a 300% increase in blockchain-related educational programs and accounts for as much as 8% of all mining hash rates.

“We hope to scale our Middle East team rapidly to support business growth, with between 30 to 60 hires over the next 2 years or more across the Middle East region. New team members will include various mid-office and back-office functions. We may consider selecting Dubai as an operational hub for the Middle East market. This move is not just about business, it is about our core values, which rest on advancing blockchain and crypto adoption worldwide,” as Gracy Chen, Managing Director of Bitget, commented on the announcement.

Bitget has already begun exploring license applications in order to operate in target Middle East markets.

Bitget has been scaling its operational reach globally in recent months, including the registration as VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) in Poland and similar crypto registration in Lithuania. The new expansion plan in the Middle East region comes on the heels of Bitget’s launch in Turkey earlier this year, which now boasts a full localization including its Turkish website, Bitget TR, to provide localized services for users in Turkey.

Many other crypto exchanges have been seeking licensing in the region, including OKx, Coinbase, Crypto.com, Binance and local exchanges such as BitOasis and CoinMENA. 

Bahrain’s KFH believes Blockchain is significant in enhancing cybersecurity

Bahrain’s KFH believes Blockchain is significant in enhancing cybersecurity

Bahrain’s KFH ( Kuwait Finance House) Information security Manager, Mr. Hasan Muhi emphasized the significance of utilizing blockchain technology applications to enhance cybersecurity in the financial technology sector. He highlighted the potential of blockchain for improved security in financial transactions and protection against fraud and cybercrimes.

During a seminar entitled “ Cybersecrity in Fintech in Bahrain” organized by NGN International Muhi stated that blockchain technology offers significant security advantages by storing financial data in an encrypted manner across a network of devices, making it highly resistant to cyber-attacks.

The seminar was part of the activities of NGN Majlis, which aims to raise awareness about cybersecurity in Bahrain and promote a better understanding of the subject.

As per Muhi’s statements, “Blockchain technology represents one of the latest and most effective methods for safeguarding companies and institutions against the growing risks of cyber threats. These threats include data loss, unauthorized access, and data theft.”

He added, “Blockchain enables robust protection of data, financial transactions, and commercial operations, while facilitating controlled data access, enhancing transparency, and fostering trust among different parties involved. Thus, it serves as an innovative technology to enhance cybersecurity and optimize the financial and operational performance of institutions and companies.”

Muhi emphasized that Blockchain was a vital tool for improving cybersecurity in the Fintech sector through the utilization of “Smart Contracts”. These contracts can be programmed to execute financial transactions securely and reliably without the need for third parties, thereby reducing costs and mitigating risks associated with online financial transactions. Additionally, they enhance trust among various stakeholders involved in commercial and financial operations.