🇧🇭 Bahrain

Crypto-Asset Service Licence under CBB Rulebook Volume 6 (Capital Markets), Crypto-Asset Module (CRA), issued under Decree Law No. 64 of 2006 (CBB Law). Four categories: Category 1 (reception/transmission of orders, investment advice), Category 2 (Cat-1 activities plus trading as agent, portfolio management, custody), Category 3 (Cat-2 activities plus trading as principal/dealing on own account), Category 4 (operating a licensed crypto-asset exchange plus custody). A separate Stablecoin Issuance and Offering (SIO) Module (also Volume 6) now licenses stablecoin issuers.

Verified 2 days agoSource: Central Bank of Bahrain, Crypto-asset Module (CRA): https://www.cbb.gov.bh/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Vol-6-CRA.pdf

Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB)

Verified 2 days agoSource: Central Bank of Bahrain, Crypto-asset Module (CRA): https://www.cbb.gov.bh/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Vol-6-CRA.pdf

In July 2025 the CBB issued a new Stablecoin Issuance and Offering (SIO) Module, added to Rulebook Volume 6, creating Bahrain's first dedicated stablecoin licensing framework. It covers issuance, minting, burning, and reserve management of single-currency stablecoins backed by BHD, USD, or other CBB-accepted fiat currencies; requires issuers to incorporate as a Bahraini B.S.C.; mandates perpetual redemption rights for holders; and explicitly permits yield-bearing stablecoins (subject to CBB-set limits). On 3 June 2026 AX Coin Bahrain B.S.C. (c), a subsidiary of Nasdaq-listed Solowin Holdings, announced it had been granted the first licence under this framework, for stablecoin issuer activities (per the issuer's announcement; a CBB press release confirming the grant is pending direct confirmation). Separately, CBB granted a new Category 3 crypto-asset licence to Fasset Financial Services W.L.L. in January 2025. In May 2026 the CBB restructured the approved-persons section (CRA-1.7) of the Crypto-Asset Module, regrouping its fit-and-proper, prior-approval and notification rules under relocated headings (Rulebook revision of 6 May 2026).

Verified 5 weeks agoSource: GlobeNewswire, AX Coin licence announcement, 3 Jun 2026: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/06/03/3305919/0/en/ax-coin-backed-by-axg-granted-first-stablecoin-issuer-license-by-the-central-bank-of-bahrain.html ; CBB Rulebook CRA-1.7 revision history: https://cbben.thomsonreuters.com/rulebook/cra-17-section-was-deleted-may-2026 ; CBB press release, Fasset: https://www.cbb.gov.bh/media-center/central-bank-of-bahrain-grants-crypto-service-license-to-fasset-financial-services/