Bahrain Development Bank

Bahrain
Development Bank (BDB) is a state-owned development bank focused on supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bahrain. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Manama, Bahrain, the bank is wholly owned by the Bahraini government and is a policy financial institution that is not listed. BDB's core mission is to diversify Bahrain's economy through financing, advisory and innovative financial solutions, with a particular focus on fintech and digital transformation.

BDB's services are mainly covered in Bahrain, with a focus on local SMEs, start-ups and entrepreneurs. As a development bank, it has a limited number of offline branches, but offers a wide range of services through digital channels such as online banking and mobile apps. ATM distribution is not its primary focus, as it is positioned more towards corporate finance rather than retail banking.

Regulation &
ComplianceBDB is regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and follows the strict compliance standards of Bahrain's financial markets. As a state-owned bank, its operations are in line with the national economic policy guidance, and it has a good recent compliance record, and has not publicly disclosed major violations. Bahrain's deposit insurance program is administered by CBB, but BDB, as a development bank, does not primarily involve retail deposit insurance.

Financial HealthBDB
does not publicly disclose detailed financial indicators (such as capital adequacy ratio, non-performing loan ratio, etc.), but as a state-owned development bank, it has a solid capital structure and liquidity backed by the Bahraini government. In 2025, BDB received an international award for digital innovation and SME services, reflecting its operational efficiency and financial sustainability.

Deposit & Loan ProductsBDB
mainly provides corporate loans rather than retail deposit products, and its features include:

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Loan type: flexible financing options for SMEs, such as low-interest start-up loans, For growth project loans, the interest rate is customized based on the risk assessment of the project.

• deposits: not for ordinary individual users, corporate customers can open current/fixed accounts, and the interest rate is determined through negotiation.

the cost structure
of BDB is biased towards enterprise customers, which may include:

• loan fee (fluctuates according to the size of the financing);

• account management fee (for corporate customers);

• cross-border transfer fee (applicable to international trade customers).

digital service experienceBDB's
digital services are centered on enterprise customers:

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online banking and APP: provides corporate account management, loan application, real-time transaction functions, user ratings are not disclosed, but its digital services will be rated as "Bahrain's Best Bank for Digital Transformation" in 2025;

• technological innovation: AI risk control model, blockchain trade finance platform, and support for open banking API docking.

customer service quality<

safeguards

• security of funds: supervised by CBB, using real-time anti-fraud system;

• Data security: Complies with international financial data protection standards and no major breaches have been reported.

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