finpeel Answers · Bahrain · updated 2026-08-14
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.
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.
Regulator: Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB)
Primary sources: CBB — Capital Markets / Crypto-Asset framework · CBB — Stablecoin Issuance and Offering framework
Directional — not legal advice. Verify with the regulator before committing.
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