# Khaleeji Bank (formerly Khaleeji Commercial Bank)

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/khaleeji-bank
> research date 2026-10-21 · extracted at 2026-10-22
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Overview — Khaleeji Bank](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/bank-overview/)
- [Annual Report 2025 — Khaleeji Bank](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf)
- [Khaleeji Bank — Apple App Store](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/khaleeji-bank/id6758911541)

## Overview

**Khaleeji Bank B.S.C.** is a Bahraini Islamic retail bank, incorporated on 24 November 2004 and listed on the Bahrain Bourse [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf). Until June 2023 it was called **Khaleeji Commercial Bank** (KHCB), the name this page's address still carries [[3]](https://bahrainbourse.com/en/NEWS%20AND%20EVENTS/MarketMessages/Pages/MarketMsg432.aspx). GFH Financial Group held 82.95% of its shares at the end of 2025 [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf).

Khaleeji is a bank, not a wallet. Its customers pay through the bank's own app and internet bank, with Khaleeji cards in Apple Pay, and through the national [BenefitPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/benefitpay) wallet, where a Khaleeji Visa debit card can send money across the GCC with Visa+ [[7]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/khaleeji-mobile-app/) [[12]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/apple-pay/) [[10]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/visa/).

## History

- **2004: incorporation.** The bank was incorporated on 24 November 2004 under commercial registration 55133 [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf). Its own overview says "We started business in 2004" [[1]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/bank-overview/).
- **2021: GFH takes a larger stake and a new app.** GFH's holding rose from 55.41% to 69.05% after it bought 121,726,795 shares from Shuaa Capital and its Goldilocks Fund for BD 8,764,329.240, disclosed in a filing on 7 June 2021 [[4]](https://salaamgateway.com/story/bahrains-gfh-financial-increases-stake-in-khaleeji-commercial-bank-as-shuaa-exits). In September 2021 GFH told the bourse it intended "to make an open offer to acquire the entire public shareholding" of KHCB, subject to pre-conditions [[5]](https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/977473/GFH-plans-open-offer-to-acquire-public-shareholding-of-KHCB). The bank's 2021 report records the launch of "Khaleeji 360", which lets clients link accounts at other banks and see them together, and of a new version of the Khaleeji Mobile App [[6]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AnnualReport21-Eng.pdf).
- **2023: new name.** The Bahrain Bourse announced on 22 June 2023 that Khaleeji Commercial Bank B.S.C. would become Khaleeji Bank B.S.C., and its symbol KHCB would become KHALEEJI, from 25 June 2023 [[3]](https://bahrainbourse.com/en/NEWS%20AND%20EVENTS/MarketMessages/Pages/MarketMsg432.aspx).
- **2024: Hafeez.** The business app, Hafeez, was first released on the App Store on 20 March 2024 [[17]](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/hafeez-khaleeji-business/id6478110396).
- **2025: Visa+ and GCC onboarding.** On 17 April 2025 the bank launched Visa+, which sends money to Visa cardholders in the GCC using only the recipient's mobile number [[11]](https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1350650). Its 2025 report adds that GCC nationals can now open digital accounts through the mobile app [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf).
- **2026: AI assistant and a new app listing.** In June 2026 the bank launched "Sheikha", an AI voice assistant that answers customers by phone around the clock [[15]](https://www.gccbusinessnews.com/?p=146671). The current retail app listing, "Khaleeji Bank", was first released on the App Store on 17 September 2026 [[8]](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/khaleeji-bank/id6758911541).

No source we found gives the date of the bank's first mobile app, so `launch_date` is left empty.

## Ownership & operator

Khaleeji Bank B.S.C. is a public shareholding company operating under an Islamic retail licence from the Central Bank of Bahrain [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf). GFH Financial Group B.S.C. held 82.95% of its ordinary shares at 31 December 2025, unchanged from a year earlier. GFH is itself a Bahraini Islamic wholesale bank, listed in Bahrain, Kuwait, Dubai and Abu Dhabi [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf). The bank's own shares remain listed on the Bahrain Bourse [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf). GFH has no page of its own on this site.

The bank's headquarters is at Bahrain Financial Harbour. The overview names Hidd, Sanad and Riffa as its other locations [[1]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/bank-overview/). Total assets were BD 1,725.1 million at the end of 2025, against BD 1,496.1 million a year earlier [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf).

## Technical integration

**The retail app.** The bank's app page lists opening accounts, managing debit and credit cards, paying bills, domestic and international transfers, and the Khaleeji 360 open-banking view [[7]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/khaleeji-mobile-app/). The App Store description of the September 2026 app adds signing up, opening an account and getting a debit card "in a few minutes", Mudarabah deposits and targeted savings, and freezing or blocking cards [[8]](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/khaleeji-bank/id6758911541).

**Local transfers.** Khaleeji's tariff of September 2026 prices both local transfer services that run on Bahrain's EFTS [[13]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Khaleeji-Service-Charges-SEP26.pdf):

| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| [Fawri+](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/fawri-plus), up to BD 100 | free |
| Fawri+, more than BD 100 to BD 3,000 | 110 fils |
| [Fawri](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/fawri), salary transfer | 6 fils |
| Fawri, other transfer | 110 fils |
| Fawateer bill payment | free |
| Transfer in a GCC currency | BD 5.500 |

**Visa+ through BenefitPay.** Visa+ is offered by Visa with BENEFIT, and the transfer is made in the BenefitPay app. Both sender and receiver must hold a Visa debit card. The sender enters the recipient's mobile number with its country code, their last name as on their ID, a purpose and the amount, then approves with the card's PIN [[10]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/visa/).

**Card wallets.** "All our Debit & Credit Cards are compatible with Apple Pay", on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac [[12]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/apple-pay/). The tariff also names GarminPay, Fitbit Pay and Samsung Wallet among the wallets whose ATM withdrawals and balance enquiries are charged [[13]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Khaleeji-Service-Charges-SEP26.pdf).

## Users & growth

Khaleeji publishes no customer or app-user numbers in the sources we found. Visa named it the bank with the fastest growth in active cards in Bahrain in 2025, without a figure [[16]](https://khaleeji.bank/visa-honours-khaleeji-bank-for-outstanding-performance/). Because the retail app listing is new, its store counts are small: 7 App Store ratings, averaging 5.0, and more than 100 Android downloads when read on 21 October 2026 [[8]](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/khaleeji-bank/id6758911541) [[9]](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.khbretail).

## Use cases

- **Domestic transfers and bills** in the app, over Fawri+, Fawri and Fawateer [[7]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/khaleeji-mobile-app/) [[13]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Khaleeji-Service-Charges-SEP26.pdf).
- **GCC transfers by mobile number** with Visa+ in BenefitPay [[10]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/visa/) [[11]](https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1350650).
- **Contactless and online card payments** with Apple Pay [[12]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/apple-pay/).
- **Salaries and bulk payments** for businesses. Fawri salary transfers cost 6 fils each [[13]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Khaleeji-Service-Charges-SEP26.pdf), and the Hafeez platform gained instant registration with digital ID and biometric checks in 2025 [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf).
- **Accounts for Gulf nationals** opened in the app without a branch visit [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf).

## Implementations & partners

- **GFH Financial Group**, the majority shareholder [[2]](https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf).
- **Visa** and **BENEFIT** for Visa+ [[10]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/visa/). Visa honoured the bank in July 2026 for its 2025 card growth [[16]](https://khaleeji.bank/visa-honours-khaleeji-bank-for-outstanding-performance/).
- **Apple Pay** for all its cards [[12]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/apple-pay/).

## Fun facts

- "Sheikha", launched in June 2026, made Khaleeji, by its own account, "the first bank in Bahrain to enable customers to conduct natural voice conversations over the phone" [[15]](https://www.gccbusinessnews.com/?p=146671).

## Comparison

Bahrainis mostly move money through [BenefitPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/benefitpay), not their banks' apps. BenefitPay sent 455.3 million of the 467.9 million Fawri+ transfers made in 2025 [[18]](https://www.tradearabia.com/News/389437/BENEFIT-records-nearly-%24100bn-in-e-transactions-across-all-transfer-services). Among Islamic banks, Khaleeji's app competes with those of [Bahrain Islamic Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bahrain-islamic-bank) and [Kuwait Finance House – Bahrain](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/kfh-bahrain); the conventional [National Bank of Bahrain](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/nbb-bank) has the largest App Store following of the four. Rating counts read on 21 October 2026 are a rough guide to reach, not user numbers. Khaleeji's is low partly because its listing dates only from September 2026:

| App | First released | iOS ratings |
|---|---|---|
| Khaleeji Bank [[8]](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/khaleeji-bank/id6758911541) | 17 Sep 2026 | 7 |
| BisB Mobile [[19]](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/bisb-mobile/id1296859186) | 21 Nov 2017 | 2,461 |
| KFH Bahrain [[20]](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/kfh-bahrain/id771724261) | 30 Dec 2013 | 1,962 |
| NBB [[21]](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/nbb/id1529224397) | 12 Jan 2021 | 10,683 |

## Status

Active. The retail app was last updated on 6 October 2026 [[8]](https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/khaleeji-bank/id6758911541), and the bank's latest published statements are for the second quarter of 2026 [[14]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/financial-reports/). The bank's app page still linked an older App Store listing (id1565430380) that no longer opened on 21 October 2026 [[7]](https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/khaleeji-mobile-app/).

## Sources

[1]: https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/bank-overview/ "Overview — Khaleeji Bank, read 21 Oct 2026"
[2]: https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Khaleeji-AR-English-2025.pdf "Annual Report 2025 — Khaleeji Bank, 4 May 2026"
[3]: https://bahrainbourse.com/en/NEWS%20AND%20EVENTS/MarketMessages/Pages/MarketMsg432.aspx "Change of commercial name and trading symbol of Khaleeji Commercial Bank — Bahrain Bourse, 22 Jun 2023"
[4]: https://salaamgateway.com/story/bahrains-gfh-financial-increases-stake-in-khaleeji-commercial-bank-as-shuaa-exits "Bahrain's GFH Financial increases stake in Khaleeji Commercial Bank as Shuaa exits — Salaam Gateway, 8 Jun 2021"
[5]: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/977473/GFH-plans-open-offer-to-acquire-public-shareholding-of-KHCB "GFH plans open offer to acquire public shareholding of KHCB — Gulf Daily News, 20 Sep 2021"
[6]: https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AnnualReport21-Eng.pdf "Annual Report 2021 — Khaleeji Commercial Bank, 6 May 2022"
[7]: https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/khaleeji-mobile-app/ "Khaleeji Mobile App — Khaleeji Bank, read 21 Oct 2026"
[8]: https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/khaleeji-bank/id6758911541 "Khaleeji Bank — Apple App Store, read 21 Oct 2026"
[9]: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.khbretail "Khaleeji Bank — Google Play, read 21 Oct 2026"
[10]: https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/visa/ "Visa+ — Khaleeji Bank, read 21 Oct 2026"
[11]: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1350650 "Khaleeji Bank unveils money transfer service — Gulf Daily News, 17 Apr 2025"
[12]: https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/apple-pay/ "Apple Pay — Khaleeji Bank, read 21 Oct 2026"
[13]: https://khaleeji.bank/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Khaleeji-Service-Charges-SEP26.pdf "Service Charges, September 2026 — Khaleeji Bank, 1 Sep 2026"
[14]: https://khaleeji.bank/pages-sidebar-nav/financial-reports/ "Financial Reports — Khaleeji Bank, read 21 Oct 2026"
[15]: https://www.gccbusinessnews.com/?p=146671 "Khaleeji Bank launches 'Sheikha' AI-powered voice assistant — GCC Business News, 9 Jun 2026"
[16]: https://khaleeji.bank/visa-honours-khaleeji-bank-for-outstanding-performance/ "Visa Honours Khaleeji Bank for Outstanding Performance — Khaleeji Bank, 12 Jul 2026"
[17]: https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/hafeez-khaleeji-business/id6478110396 "Hafeez: Khaleeji Business — Apple App Store, read 21 Oct 2026"
[18]: https://www.tradearabia.com/News/389437/BENEFIT-records-nearly-%24100bn-in-e-transactions-across-all-transfer-services "BENEFIT records nearly $100bn in e-transactions across all transfer services — TradeArabia, 19 Feb 2026"
[19]: https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/bisb-mobile/id1296859186 "BisB Mobile — Apple App Store, read 21 Oct 2026"
[20]: https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/kfh-bahrain/id771724261 "KFH Bahrain — Apple App Store, read 21 Oct 2026"
[21]: https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/nbb/id1529224397 "NBB — Apple App Store, read 21 Oct 2026"

## Source

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