Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB)
Who regulates crypto-assets in Bahrain?
Content reviewed 2026-08-14 · How we check sources
Short answer
The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB). Crypto-asset services are regulated under the CBB Rulebook's Crypto-Asset (CRA) framework, while stablecoin issuance and offering are subject to the separate Stablecoin Issuance and Offering (SIO) Module within the CBB framework.
What this means
Bahrain has a single financial regulator, but crypto is still divided by activity and module. A business providing regulated crypto-asset services must map its proposed activities to the CBB's CRA requirements rather than relying on a general fintech or payments licence.
The stablecoin framework is a useful example of why the exact token function matters. The CBB introduced a dedicated SIO Module for regulated stablecoin issuance and offering, so a stablecoin issuer should not assume the ordinary CRA analysis is the only applicable regime.
If the product also performs payments, securities or other regulated financial services, those functions can trigger additional CBB requirements. One regulator does not mean one permission covers every financial activity.
Official sources
CBB — Capital Markets / Crypto-Asset framework ↗CBB — Stablecoin Issuance and Offering framework ↗Ask with your entity, activity and regulator.
Regulatory research, not legal advice. This answer has the scope and review date shown above; your institution decides applicability.