Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB)
Do I need a licence for open banking in Bahrain?
Content reviewed 2026-08-14 · How we check sources
Short answer
Yes, if you provide regulated Account Information or Payment Initiation services. Under the CBB Open Banking framework, AISPs and PISPs must be appropriately licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain.
What this means
Bahrain treats open banking as a regulated financial service, not simply an API standard. Customer consent and technical connectivity do not replace the required CBB permission.
A technology vendor supplying infrastructure to a licensed AISP or PISP can have a different perimeter if it does not itself provide the regulated service.
Official sources
Central Bank of Bahrain — Open Banking ↗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.