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Ithmaar Bank said in a statement that it will expand its network by opening new branches across the kingdom in 2026 to improve customer access to its full range of services. The decision followed a detailed study that identified growing requirements among an expanded corporate client base. Chief Executive Officer Maysan Almaskati noted that the initiative would help ensure ease of access while the bank maintains its focus on corporate clients. The Bahrain-based Islamic retail lender has emphasised its ability to adapt to changing conditions without disrupting service delivery.
The bank continues to provide all banking services to corporate clients with consistent efficiency and effectiveness, meeting needs with flexibility and security amid recent regional developments, according to the announcement. “Ithmaar Bank continues to operate at full capacity to serve its corporate clients,” Almaskati said. “The bank has demonstrated its capability and resilience to continue providing banking services to its clients under any circumstances,” he added.
Almaskati stated that Ithmaar Bank continues to work as per the Central Bank of Bahrain’s guidance to ensure uninterrupted delivery of banking services to corporate clients through all its channels while ensuring the safety of its operations. “This reflects the bank’s commitment to maintaining the highest levels of efficiency and best practices,” he said. “We also confirm the bank’s readiness to support all its clients and provide them with a full range of banking and financial services.”
Central Bank of Bahrain figures show the kingdom’s banking sector assets reached $254.5 billion by December 2025, with Islamic banks holding $67.1 billion of the total. The market share of Islamic banks has risen from 1.8 percent of overall banking assets in 2000 to 25.3 percent by June 2024. This growth reflects the impact of dedicated regulatory frameworks for Sharia-compliant institutions introduced by the regulator over more than two decades.
Bahrain maintains 15 Islamic banks as of January 2025, supporting its established role as a hub for Islamic finance in the Gulf. Central Bank of Bahrain data indicate that Islamic banking assets expanded from $1.9 billion in 2000 to $61.7 billion by mid-2024 before reaching the latest reported levels. The sector forms a core component of the kingdom’s non-oil economic activity.
The combined balance sheet of Bahrain’s retail and wholesale banks stood at $254 billion in April 2026, up 3.8 percent from a year earlier, according to official statistics that highlight ongoing resilience. Ithmaar Bank operates its head office and main branch from Seef Tower in Manama as it prepares for the planned additions to its physical footprint. The lender provides Sharia-compliant retail and corporate banking products as a licensed Islamic institution under Central Bank of Bahrain oversight.
