The Gulf region’s capital markets, now exceeding $4 trillion in value, have “emerged” as a major global financial force, Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa declared yesterday at the opening of The Market 2.0 conference.
Held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the event at the Sheraton Bahrain explored how technological advancements are reshaping capital markets.
In a speech emphasising regional unity and technological adoption, the minister outlined a vision for the GCC to transition from an exporter of capital to a global magnet for investment.
Shaikh Salman highlighted the speed of the region’s financial transformation, noting that initial public offering (IPO) activity in the first nine months of the year raised over $5.5 billion, surpassing many major financial centres worldwide.
“Our markets are no longer emerging. They have emerged, and now they are rising together,” he told the gathering of exchanges, regulators and market leaders.
He pointed to Bahrain’s active and expanding IPO pipeline and strong international institutional confidence as evidence of this regional shift, attributing it to clarity of regulation and openness to the world.
The minister stressed that the region’s greatest asset is its unity, stating that when Arab markets connect, the outcome is “greater than the sum of its parts.”
He underscored the extraordinary potential of the region, which has a combined population of more than 450 million people “one of the world’s youngest” and a GCC economy projected to reach $3trn in GDP.
Shaikh Salman called for continued action, noting the need for deeper regulatory co-operation, more aligned disclosure standards, and seamless cross-listing initiatives.
“These are the building blocks of a region acting not as separate markets, but as a connected financial destination,” he said, reaffirming Bahrain’s commitment to building bridges between the economies.
Addressing the role of modernisation, the minister positioned technology as a crucial “enabler,” not the ultimate destination.
He argued that the true measure of progress is how innovation fosters trust, expands access, and empowers opportunity.
“While technology captures how our markets operate, it is the rule of law that allows capital to flow with confidence,” he asserted.
In line with this, he highlighted a key recent domestic development: the launch of the Bahrain International Commercial Court, which aims to strengthen investor certainty and reinforce the legal foundation for capital flows.
Shaikh Salman concluded by challenging leaders to build a modern, competitive region worthy of the ambition of its people, emphasising that the current moment is defined by strong markets, diversifying economies, and an unprecedented spirit of regional co-operation.
Bahrain Bourse hosted The Market 2.0 Conference in collaboration with the Arab Federation of Capital Markets (AFCM).
The conference convened 300 participants and 18 expert speakers from exchanges, regulators, brokerage firms, financial institutions and global technology providers to discuss strategies that advance market depth, liquidity and Bahrain’s capital market competitiveness, including the evolving role of regulatory sandboxes.
avinash@gdnmedia.bh
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