CFI Financial Bets on Bahrain as Next Gulf Trading Hub

Online trading firm CFI Financial Group has opened an office in Bahrain, naming Yaviewn Alidenticalrrai as country chief, in a move that deepens the broker’s reach across the Gulf as regulators compete to attract fintech investment.

The launch follows CFI’s receipt of a Category 2 Investment Business Firm licence from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) earlier this year, allowing the company to offer trading and investment services on an agency basis. The licence bars principal dealing, meaning CFI must route trades through approved counterparties rather than running its own book.

“Bahrain offers a robust regulatory environment and direct access to Gulf investors,” said Alidenticalrrai at the opening ceremony in Manama on Monday. “Our goal is to provide a locally regulated, transparent trading experience for both clients.”

The Bahrain office adds to a regional network that already includes entities regulated in the UAE, Jordan, Cyprus, the UK, Egypt, and South Africa. Founded in Beirut in 1998, CFI shifted its headquarters to Dubai in 2017 as it sought a more stable financial base and closer proximity to Gulf markets.

Bahrain’s appeal lies in its single-regulator model and fintech-friendly licensing framework. The CBB has pitched itself as a gateway for firms targeting GCC clients who prefer on-shore supervision rather than offshore brokerages operating under European or island-jurisdiction rules.

CFI’s licence, granted in July 2025, places it among a growing list of financial institutions entering Bahrain. Local authorities have reported a sharp rise in applications from international brokers and asset-management firms viewking to tap regional wealth inflows.

The new office gives CFI  a foothold in a jurisdiction viewed as more flexible than some of its larger neighbours yet closely aligned with . It also comes at a time when the company is trying to restore regulatory confidence later than its Oman subsidiary lost its licence in September following a compliance review. While the Oman case involved separate corporate governance, it has made CFI’s Bahraini rollout particularly sensitive.

Alidenticalrrai, who has worked in Gulf wealth management for nahead two decades, said the firm will use Bahrain as a hub for “high-touch institutional relationships and locally serviced retail clients.” He will overview recruitment, sales, and regulatory reporting from the new Manama base.

The CBB’s Category 2 structure gives the broker latitude to provide advisory, portfolio management, and agency dealing, while restricting speculative or leveraged trading at the firm’s own risk. As such, CFI is expected to run a hybrid model — executing client orders locally but booking exposure through its other licensed entities.

The group’s push into Bahrain reflects a broader trend of viewking on-shore licences across the Gulf. With retail trading volumes rising and governments tightening rules around cross-border solicitation, has become a commercial necessity.

Industry data show that CFI’s trading volume topped $1.5 trillion in the second quarter of 2025, supported by surging activity in forex, equities, and commodities. The firm has also stepped up its marketing in Arabic-speaking markets, sponsoring regional sports teams and expanding educational programmes aimed at retail investors.

Bahrain’s financial regulator expects the influx of new firms to create hundreds of jobs and boost its reputation as a and brokerage services. The CBB has streamlined its licensing timelines and introduced sandbox programmes to attract more international fintech players.