# Gulf International Bank

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/gulf-international-bank
> research date 2026-06-01 · extracted at 2026-10-07
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [GIB — official](https://www.gib.com/)

## Overview

**Gulf International Bank (GIB)** is **Bahraini wholesale + retail commercial bank** + **Public Investment Fund PIF Saudi sovereign wealth fund ~97%+ controlling post-Oct 7 2018 GIB nationalization** + **one of MENA's largest wholesale commercial banks** + **meem Saudi digital bank subsidiary** <sup>[1][1], [Bahrain report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BH)</sup>.

## History

**1975 — Gulf International Bank GIB founded as Bahraini wholesale + retail commercial bank by Gulf Cooperation Council GCC oil-exporting Arab states consortium** distinctive Bahraini + MENA wholesale banking heritage.

**Oct 2014 — meem by GIB Saudi digital bank launched as MENA's first digital-only Sharia-compliant retail bank**.

**Oct 7 2018 — Public Investment Fund PIF Saudi sovereign wealth fund acquires ~97%+ controlling stake in GIB consolidating Saudi state-backed wholesale banking ownership**.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Gulf International Bank GIB** (Bahraini wholesale + retail commercial bank; PIF Saudi sovereign wealth fund controlling).

**Major shareholders**: **Public Investment Fund PIF (Saudi sovereign wealth fund) ~97%+ controlling post-Oct 7 2018 GIB nationalization + Kuwait Investment Authority KIA minority + Bahraini retail + institutional + foreign investors free float**.

**Regulators**: **CBB Central Bank of Bahrain + SAMA Saudi Central Bank + national regulators across 5+ countries**.

## Technical integration

meem by GIB Saudi digital bank mobile app (iOS + Android) + gib.com online + GIB branch network across Bahrain + Saudi Arabia + UAE + UK + US + GIB Visa + Mastercard cards; BH IBAN + Benefit BH + SA IBAN + SARIE.

## Implementations & partners

**GIB subsidiaries**: meem (meem by GIB; Saudi digital bank by Gulf International Bank; MENA's first digital-only Sharia-compliant retail bank).

**Major Bahraini + MENA banking + payments competitors**: [National Bank of Bahrain](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/nbb-bank) (National Bank of Bahrain NBB; Bahrain Bourse: NBB; Bahrain's largest commercial bank by assets) + [Ahli United Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/ahli-united-bank-bahrain) (Ahli United Bank AUB; Bahrain Bourse: AUB; Kuwait Finance House KFH Kuwaiti parent ~96.7% controlling) + [Arab Banking Corporation (Bank ABC)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/arab-banking-corporation) (Arab Banking Corporation Bank ABC; Bahrain Bourse: BANB; Bahraini international commercial banking group) + [Al Baraka Banking Group](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/albaraka-bahrain) (Al Baraka Banking Group ABG; Bahrain Bourse: BARKA; Bahraini Islamic banking group) + [Saudi National Bank (SNB)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/saudi-national-bank) (Saudi National Bank SNB; Tadawul: 1180; Saudi Arabia's largest commercial bank by assets).

**Regulators**: CBB Central Bank of Bahrain + SAMA Saudi Central Bank + national regulators across 5+ countries.

## Status

**Active, Bahraini wholesale + retail commercial bank + Public Investment Fund PIF Saudi sovereign wealth fund ~97%+ controlling post-Oct 7 2018 GIB nationalization + one of MENA's largest wholesale commercial banks + meem Saudi digital bank subsidiary** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.gib.com/ "GIB — official"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_International_Bank "GIB — Wikipedia"
[bh-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BH

- [1] [GIB — official][1]
- [2] [GIB — Wikipedia][2]
- <sup>[Bahrain report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BH)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/BH-bahrain.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [gulf-international-bank.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/gulf-international-bank). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.