Bahrain Economic Development Board said Fintech Forward 2026 will be held on 7-8 October 2026 at Exhibition World Bahrain, bringing together global thought leaders, financial innovators and policymakers for the forum's fourth edition. Hosted by Bahrain EDB and programmed by Forbes Middle East, the event will run under the theme "Finance in the Age of Intelligent Infrastructure" with support from the Central Bank of Bahrain and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The organizers said the agenda will examine ecosystem challenges, investment opportunities and closer alignment between financial systems, regulation and infrastructure as the financial services industry navigates economic uncertainty and a new phase of technology-driven growth. Bahrain EDB's Mohammed AlAlawi said the event has become a leading industry gathering, adding that financial services contribute over 17% to Bahrain's GDP.