National Bank of Bahrain BSC

What National Bank of Bahrain BSC does

National Bank of Bahrain B.S.C. (NBB) is the Kingdom of Bahrain's first locally owned bank, incorporated by Amiri decree in January 1957 and listed on the Bahrain Bourse under the ticker NBB. It operates as a conventional retail and wholesale commercial bank, serving personal banking, affluent (Prestige), high-net-worth (Private), SME, large corporate, institutional, and government clients across Bahrain, with overseas branches in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and Dubai (UAE). Customer-facing distribution spans 23 branches, 80 ATMs, interactive teller machines, a dedicated relationship-manager force for affluent and corporate segments, and digital channels including the NBB Digital consumer app, the NBB DigiCorp corporate banking platform, and the NBB DigiConnect ERP-banking host-to-host integration. The bank also holds controlling or strategic equity stakes in four pillars of the Bahraini financial ecosystem: Bahrain Islamic Bank (78.81%), BENEFIT (34.84%, the national payments switch), SICO (21.07%, brokerage), and BCFC (11.2%, consumer finance), giving it unusual depth across Sharia-compliant, payments, capital markets, and consumer finance verticals.

NBB's product surface is broad and segmented: personal banking (Thara'a Prize Account, Yalla youth account, savings/current/deposit accounts, six credit card tiers across Mastercard and Visa, and consumer financing including government-backed Tas'heel/Mazaya mortgage programmes, car, education, and solar finance); wealth management (Intermediary & Custody Services for bonds, sukuks and T-bills with USD 200k minimum); Prestige and Private Banking with invitation-only Mastercard World Elite Exclusive and dedicated 24/7 relationship managers; and a full corporate/institutional franchise spanning project and structured finance, syndicated lending, debt capital markets (bonds and sukuk), trade finance, treasury/risk management, and structured investments. Digital and merchant infrastructure includes the NBB GO SoftPoS contactless solution, a PCI-DSS-compliant payment gateway with tokenisation, and an Open Banking developer portal hosted on the Tarabut Gateway.

The revenue model is a hybrid of net interest income (the primary driver, accounting for the bulk of the 4% FY2025 net profit growth to USD 225.7 million) and diversified fee streams: credit card interest and interchange, transaction banking and trade finance fees, wealth/custody and brokerage commissions, DCM advisory and arrangement fees, and structured treasury income. The bank prices its retail and corporate products on a relationship basis rather than a published schedule, with only credit card rates (e.g., 1.85%–3.30% monthly) and the USD 200k wealth management minimum publicly disclosed. NBB supplements domestic deposit funding with its first USD 450 million syndicated loan facility (January 2026) arranged by Emirates NBD and Gulf International Bank. The bank is exploring a merger with Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (announced February 2026) that, if completed, would create a dominant domestic institution, and has signed an ICIEC trade finance insurance partnership (June 2026) to extend cross-border capabilities across ICIEC Member States.

Name

National Bank of Bahrain BSC

Legal name

National Bank of Bahrain B.S.C.

Website

https://nbbonline.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

National Bank of Bahrain is Bahrain's first locally owned conventional retail and wholesale bank, serving personal, SME, corporate, institutional, and HNW clients through 23 branches, regional offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and digital platforms NBB Digital, DigiCorp and DigiConnect.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail and Commercial Banking

NAICS

Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Commercial Banking (522110), Commercial Banking (52211)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021), State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Consumer & Retail (CPG, Food, Apparel) (FSABACAM)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Corporate banking
• Trade finance
• Wealth management
• Digital banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Manama

HQ country

Bahrain

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Net Interest Income: Primary revenue stream derived from the difference between interest earned on loans/financing (personal, mortgage, auto, education, solar, corporate, trade) and interest paid on deposits and wholesale funding. Reported as the main driver of 2025 net profit growth.
2. Credit Card Fees and Interest: Recurring revenue from monthly interest rates on credit card balances (e.g., 1.85% for Mastercard World Elite Exclusive, 2.75% Visa Infinite, 3.30% Mastercard Platinum), annual fees, and interchange income across Mastercard and Visa portfolios.
3. Transaction Banking and Trade Finance Fees: Fee income from cash management, collections/direct debits, payment gateway, point-of-sale (PoS/SoftPoS), letters of guarantee, letters of credit, documentary collections, and supply chain finance.
4. Wealth Management and Intermediary & Custody Services: Fee-based revenue from intermediation and custody services for bonds, sukuks, and treasury bills (minimum investment USD 200,000 or equivalent), serving corporates, institutions, family offices, HNW individuals, and insurance companies.
5. Treasury and Structured Investment Income: Revenue from customised hedging solutions for FX, commodities, and interest rates; structured investments with multi-asset class exposure (equities, credit, rates, FX, commodities).
6. Brokerage and Trading Commissions: Commission-based revenue from Al Watani Trade online trading platform on the Bahrain Bourse for retail and active investors.
7. Syndicated, Project, and Debt Capital Markets Fees: Arrangement, underwriting, and advisory fees from syndicated finance, project finance, acquisition finance, asset finance, and senior/subordinated bonds and sukuk issuances.
8. Wholesale Funding Spread: Income generated from international and regional syndicated facilities (e.g., USD 450 million first syndicated loan facility in 2026) supporting corporate funding requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

National Bank of Bahrain is a conventional retail and commercial bank offering deposit accounts, consumer and mortgage financing, credit cards, and digital banking to individuals through Personal, Prestige, and Private Banking segments, and providing business accounts, cash management, trade and project finance, syndicated lending, debt capital markets, treasury solutions, merchant acquiring, and corporate digital banking to SMEs, corporates, financial institutions, and government clients across Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Product overview

National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) operates a multi-segment banking platform built around three principal customer segments — Personal Banking, Prestige/Private Banking, and Business Banking — each supported by a unified digital backbone. The Personal Banking segment combines the Thara'a Prize Account, savings/current/deposit accounts (Yalla, Express Saver, Al Mumayaz, Call, Time Deposit), a credit card suite (Mastercard World Elite Exclusive, Mastercard World Elite/World/Platinum, Visa Infinite/Signature), consumer financing (Personal Financing, Easy Cash, FlexiCredit, Home Financing, Home Equity, Cross Border Mortgage, government-backed Tas'heel/Tas'heel+/Mazaya/Mazaya 2.0/Joint Housing schemes, Car/Education/Solar financing), Al Watani Trade (online trading platform on the Bahrain Bourse), and Wealth Management/Intermediary & Custody Services. Prestige and Private Banking deliver tiered relationship management, exclusive lifestyle privileges, and the invitation-only Mastercard World Elite Exclusive card. The Business Banking segment spans Business Accounts & Deposits, Project & Structured Finance, Debt Advisory, Syndicated Finance, Debt Capital Markets, Cash Management, merchant services (NBB GO SoftPoS, Point-of-Sale, Payment Gateway, Corporate Credit Card), NBB DigiCorp (the corporate digital banking platform), NBB DigiConnect (ERP-banking host-to-host integration), Trade Finance Solutions, and Treasury Solutions (Risk Management, Structured Investments, and ICS). Cross-cutting products include the NBB Digital mobile/online banking app and the Points loyalty program. The platform is unified by shared digital channels (NBB Digital, NBB DigiCorp, NBB DigiConnect) and integration points with Bahrain's payment systems (Fawateer, Fawri, Fawri+, AFAQ) and the national EKEY-B biometric identity service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Points by NBB: Loyalty and rewards platform where cardholders earn Base and Bonus Raffle points for exclusive offers, raffle prizes, air miles, products, cash back and charitable donations.
• Al Watani Trade
• NBB DigiCorp
• Thrive Programme

Products and services

• Thara'a Prize Account A BHD or USD-denominated savings account offering customers entry into monthly raffle draws (cash prizes, villas) based on maintaining a minimum balance of BHD 50 or USD 100 over loyalty periods; for personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Yalla Account A special account for kids and youth providing a digital-first experience with exclusive benefits; includes the Yalla Eidiya Pocket feature for digital saving during Eid. For young customers and their families in Bahrain.
• Express Saver Account A local-currency savings account designed for convenience and efficiency, enabling customers to manage funds with attractive benefits. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Current Account A transaction account offering cheque books, debit cards, local and international money transfers, and multi-currency facilities. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Al Mumayaz Account A higher-yield savings account providing flexibility and competitive interest rates for personal savers. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Call Account A flexible deposit account offering competitive interest rates for local and major international currencies with immediate fund access. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Time Deposit A term deposit account offering security and stability through various short- and long-term deposit options. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Mastercard World Elite Exclusive Credit Card An invitation-only premium Mastercard credit card offering curated elite experiences and bespoke services; 1.85% monthly interest rate, x1.75 base points on spend, x0.33 on Europe/government/special payments. Eligible clients request via their Private Banking Relationship Manager.
• Mastercard World Elite Credit Card A premium Mastercard credit card offering exclusive travel, lifestyle, and insurance benefits; 51-days interest free with 5% or BHD 10 minimum repayment; 180-days interest-free spending offer USD 2,000-5,000 over 12 months. Requires minimum salary of BHD 1,500.
• Mastercard World Credit Card A Mastercard credit card earning x1.50 Base Points on spend; 51-days interest free. Requires minimum salary of BHD 1,000 or 90% credit limit of deposited amount.
• Mastercard Platinum Credit Card A status Mastercard credit card earning x1.25 Base Points on spend. Monthly interest rate 3.30%. Requires minimum salary of BHD 200 or 90% credit limit of deposited amount.
• Visa Infinite Credit Card A premium Visa credit card offering comprehensive travel and life insurance, concierge services, and exclusive offers. Monthly interest rate 2.75%. Requires minimum salary of BHD 5,000.
• Visa Signature Credit Card A Visa credit card providing exclusive travel and lifestyle benefits and rewards, earning x1.5 Base Points on spend and x0.33 on Europe/government/special payments.
• Personal Financing A personal finance solution offering competitive interest rates, finance protection insurance, up to 3 months grace period, and financing up to BHD 150,000 over up to 84 months. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Easy Cash Overdraft An overdraft facility providing immediate access to urgent funds based on spending needs, renewable annually with negotiable interest rates. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• FlexiCredit Overdraft A salary-linked overdraft facility with automatic renewal and access to funds beyond the credit balance, with up to 10x monthly income or BHD 10,000 limit. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Home Financing (Mortgage) A direct mortgage product offering up to BHD 350,000 with up to 360-month repayment, up to 6 months grace period, and combined spouse income option. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Home Equity Loan A home equity loan allowing customers to borrow up to 90% of home value (max BHD 350,000) with up to 240-month terms and inclusive life/fire insurance. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Cross Border Mortgage Financing A mortgage financing product for Bahrainis abroad to purchase property or invest in their dream home in Bahrain, with inclusive life and fire insurance and seamless processing. For Bahraini nationals residing overseas.
• Tas'heel+ Home Financing A government-backed home financing product for eligible Bahraini residents providing up to BHD 91,000 (up to 100% of property value) with up to 360-month repayment and amortised registration fees.
• Tas'heel Home Financing A government-backed Tas'heel home financing for eligible Bahraini residents offering up to 100% of property value with up to 366-month repayment.
• Mazaya Finance A Ministry of Housing-backed mortgage offering up to 100% of home value (max BHD 120,000), up to 300-month repayment, and 6-month grace period. For eligible Bahraini residents.
• Mazaya 2.0 Housing Finance A subsidised Government of Bahrain mortgage financing facility to purchase housing or land, with up to 360-month flexible repayment terms. For eligible Bahraini residents.
• Joint Housing Purchase Scheme A Ministry of Housing-backed joint mortgage scheme enabling beneficiaries to purchase property with up to 100% financing, up to 360-month repayment, and exclusive merchant promotions. For eligible Bahraini residents.
• Joint Housing Construction Scheme A joint construction financing scheme with Eskan Bank enabling land purchase and home construction finance, with up to 100% land financing and 6-month grace period. For eligible Bahraini residents.
• Car Financing An auto financing product offering up to BHD 100,000, up to 84-month repayment, up to 3 months grace period, fuel efficiency discounts, and finance protection insurance. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Education Financing An education financing product offering up to BHD 40,000, up to 84-month repayment, free processing, and free finance protection insurance. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Solar Financing An exclusive financing product for installing solar energy panels offering up to 84-month repayment, zero processing fees, and a 50% discount on life insurance fees. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Al Watani Trade Online Brokerage A secure online trading platform that empowers investors to trade stocks and other financial instruments directly on the Bahrain Bourse, with customised alerts, watchlists, real-time market updates, and investment analysis tools. For retail and active investors in Bahrain.
• Intermediary & Custody Services (Personal) Custody and trade service for bonds, sukuks, and treasury bills in local, regional, and international markets; minimum investment USD 200,000 or equivalent. Designed for HNW individuals.
• NBB Digital (Mobile & Online Banking) Flagship personal digital banking platform with mobile (iOS/Android) and online channels for secure account access, transactions, bill payments, and recurring payments. For personal banking customers in Bahrain.
• Points by NBB Loyalty Program A loyalty program where customers earn Base and Bonus Raffle points when spending with Points, redeemable for exclusive offers, raffle prizes, air miles, products, cash back, or donations to local causes. For NBB cardholders.
• Business Accounts & Deposits Business banking accounts offering efficient cash flow management, multi-currency accounts, electronic and paper cheque options, and Fixed Deposits with competitive interest rates. For SMEs and corporate clients in Bahrain.
• Project & Structured Finance Bespoke financial structuring for new (greenfield) and existing (brownfield) projects, including initial funding, refinancing, asset finance (aircraft, ships, rigs), acquisition finance, reserve-based lending, and financial restructuring. For corporates, financial institutions, and government entities.
• Debt Advisory Solutions Advisory services accompanying corporate and institutional clients from the start of their fundraising journey to the successful closing of debt-raising initiatives. For corporates and institutional clients.
• Syndicated Finance Syndicated financing for corporates, financial institutions, and government entities, including Club & Syndicated Finance, Sharia-Compliant Syndicated Murabaha, acquisition finance, asset-backed finance, structured finance, real estate finance, and project finance. For large corporate, institutional, and government clients.
• Debt Capital Markets Financial solutions in international and domestic debt capital markets in both public issuances and private placement formats, including Senior Bonds & Sukuk, Subordinated or Hybrid Bonds & Sukuk, and Project Bonds & Sukuk. For corporate and institutional issuers.
• Cash Management Solutions Comprehensive cash and liquidity management solutions including Account Pooling & Aggregation, Cash Concentration, Zero Balancing, Target Balancing, Fixed Sweep, Call Account, and Direct Debit collection services. For SMEs and corporate clients.
• NBB GO (SoftPoS) A SoftPoS payment solution enabling contactless card and digital wallet acceptance via NFC Android smartphones (OS 12+) for merchants, with secure encryption, real-time transaction history, and e-receipt sharing. For merchants and SMEs in Bahrain.
• Point-of-Sale (PoS) Terminals Handheld and unattended POS terminals with no installation/subscription/SIM fees, direct ECR integration, robust encryption, contactless payments, multi-merchant support, fraud monitoring, and dynamic currency conversion. For merchants and SMEs in Bahrain.
• Payment Gateway Online payment processing gateway with tokenisation, real-time fraud monitoring, PCI DSS compliance, hosted payment page option, and fast integration for e-commerce platforms. For e-commerce merchants and corporates.
• Corporate Credit Cards (Visa Signature and Platinum Business) Corporate credit cards offering customisable spending limits, global acceptance, 24/7 customer support, detailed monthly statements, mobile wallet compatibility, and travel benefits. For SMEs and corporate clients.
• NBB DigiCorp (Corporate Digital Banking) A comprehensive digital banking platform for businesses offering 24/7 account access, secure password-less login, local and international transfers (Fawri, Fawri+, Fawateer), bulk file processing for salary/vendor payments, configurable workflows, and audit confirmation. For SMEs and corporate clients in Bahrain.
• NBB DigiConnect (ERP Banking Integration) Host-to-host integration solution automating business processes by connecting ERP, financial, and internal systems with NBB's banking platform, supporting both file-based and API-based integration with major ERPs (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, cloud-based). For corporate clients with ERP systems.
• Trade Finance Solutions Trade finance products including Letters of Guarantee (Tender, Performance, Advance Payment, Retention, Payment/Financial, Customs), Import Letters of Credit, Export Letters of Credit (Advising, Negotiation, Confirmation, Discounting), Documentary Collections, Supply Chain Finance, and Trade Import Loans. For corporate and institutional clients engaged in import/export trade.
• Treasury Risk Management Solutions Customised hedging solutions for foreign exchange, commodities, and interest rates to mitigate volatility, with strategic cash flow stabilisation and price protection features. For corporate and institutional clients.
• NBB Structured Investments Investment solutions providing access to global equities, credit, rates, FX, and commodities through bespoke payoff structures that allow bullish, bearish, or neutral market views. For corporate and institutional clients.
• Intermediary & Custody Services (Business) Trade and custody services for bonds, sukuks, and treasury bills in local, regional, and international markets, with minimum investment of USD 200,000. Designed for corporates, institutions, family offices, HNW individuals, and insurance companies.
• EKEY-B Biometric KYC and IDV Integration National biometric digital identity and KYC service enabling customer identity verification through facial biometrics and government-validated data via Beyon Connect. Available to NBB customers across personal and business banking segments in Bahrain.
• Dedicated SME Service Points Across Flagship Branches Dedicated service points within NBB flagship branches providing focused relationship management and transaction services to small and medium enterprise customers in Bahrain.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4% net profit growth in 2025 to $225.7 million
• +7 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability8 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026ICIEC and NBB signed a Bank Master Policy and Documentary Credit Insurance Policy during the IsDB Group 2026 Annual Meetings in Baku, Azerbaijan. The agreement provides insurance cover for eligible trade finance transactions and supports confirmation of letters of credit across ICIEC Member States, mitigating payment risks for cross-border trade. The partnership aims to strengthen economic cooperation, enhance private sector engagement, and facilitate the movement of goods and services among member states.
• Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 2026Bahrain's two leading banks, National Bank of Bahrain and Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, are exploring a consolidation that would create a dominant local financial institution amid intense domestic competition. The planned tie-up reflects broader pressures facing smaller Gulf banking markets, including limited domestic population, slumping oil prices, and profitability that trails larger regional peers.
• BENEFIT CompanyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBB holds a significant 34.84% stake in BENEFIT Company, the Bahraini electronic banking services network. This partnership broadens NBB's reach in banking and financial services, aiming to bring more value to customers through BENEFIT's payment infrastructure (Fawateer, Fawri, Fawri+, AFAQ).
• SICO B.S.C. (Securities & Investment Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBB holds a 21.07% stake in SICO, helping solidify its position as a top financial player in Bahrain and providing regional influence in brokerage and investment services.
• Bahrain Commercial Facilities Company (BCFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBB holds an 11.2% stake in BCFC, aligning with its core position in the banking and financial services sector and broadening its portfolio of consumer finance offerings.
• Beyon Connect (Beyon Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationEKEY-B national biometric digital identity and KYC service is provided through Beyon Connect, in collaboration with Bahrain's Information and eGovernment Authority. NBB was the first bank in the Kingdom to offer the fully integrated EKEY-B process in December 2025, enabling customer identity verification through facial biometrics and government-validated data.
• Bahrain FinTech BayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay, NBB ran the NBB Innovation Programme 2025, concluding with a winning team announcement in February 2026 to support fintech innovation in the Kingdom.
• MastercardflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMastercard card network partner issuing Mastercard World Elite Exclusive, Mastercard World Elite, Mastercard World, and Mastercard Platinum credit cards to NBB customers with bespoke rewards and travel benefits.
• VisaflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerVisa card network partner issuing Visa Infinite and Visa Signature credit cards to NBB customers with global acceptance and exclusive travel/lifestyle benefits.
• Tarabut GatewaycoreTechnology or IntegrationTarabut Gateway provides the Open Banking infrastructure through which NBB exposes APIs via its developer portal for partner integrations.
• Bahrain Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA)coreTechnology or IntegrationGovernment partner providing validated identity data underpinning the EKEY-B national biometric digital identity and KYC service that NBB deploys for customer verification.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Market position

Competitive moat7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nbbonline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCs2DBxKiuwnb8JPo6vjp63w?app=desktop
• Facebookfacebook.com/NBBOnline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nationalbankofbahrain
• Instagraminstagram.com/nbbonline

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Bank of Bahrain BSC