Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) has swept three honours in the 2025 Global Banking & Finance awards, reinforcing its role as the go-to financier for the kingdom’s small-business community.
The London-based publication named BDB Best Digital Transformation Bank, Best Development Bank, and Best SME Bank in Bahrain. Judges credited the state-backed lender’s push into cloud-native infrastructure and AI-driven credit scoring, moves that have shortened loan approvals and added new self-service features for entrepreneurs. Group CEO Dalal Al Qais said the triple win reflects client trust and a teamwide focus on “secure, seamless, and innovative SME banking.”
The accolades arrive as BDB rolls out tijara, a digital platform that will let founders apply for finance, upload KYC documents and track disbursements entirely online—support aligned with Bahrain’s Economic Recovery Plan and its target of boosting non-oil GDP via high-growth startups. Beyond funding, BDB runs advisory clinics and strikes partnerships with ecosystem players to embed mentoring and market-access support. Winning recognition in customer experience and strategy validates that full-stack approach and strengthens Bahrain’s wider pitch to fintech investors.
Global Banking & Finance selects winners by benchmarking financial performance, innovation, and development impact. BDB’s showing underscores how a development bank can stay competitive with commercial lenders while keeping policy priorities—job creation and SME vitality—front and centre. For founders, it signals faster pathways to capital; for the ecosystem, it raises the bar on digital service levels expected from any Bahraini bank courting entrepreneurs.
“The awards reflect the Bank’s commitment to supporting SMEs in the Kingdom,” Al Qais said, adding that BDB will “continue to foster entrepreneurship and drive economic growth.” SMEs eager to leverage BDB’s latest digital tools can register for early access to tijara on the bank’s website.
