Fasset and NEC Money Exchange have formed a strategic collaboration to unlock regulated digital investment access for NEC customers in Bahrain, beginning with exclusive over-the-counter (OTC) services announced during FinTech Forward 2025, the region’s premier fintech gathering. The partnership aligns with Bahrain’s broader fintech momentum and is positioned as a long‑term agreement aimed at driving innovation in the Kingdom’s financial ecosystem while reinforcing its status as a regional hub for fintech growth. Fasset operates as a regulated Category 3 Crypto‑Asset Service Provider in Bahrain, ensuring compliant, secure pathways for institutional and individual investors to access innovative financial products.
What’s launching
The collaboration will first introduce exclusive OTC investment services tailored for NEC’s high‑value clientele, offering professional execution, trusted onboarding, and a compliant framework for accessing regulated digital asset opportunities. This OTC focus is designed to meet rising demand among sophisticated investors for secure, ethical, and transparent exposure to tokenised and digital assets through a trusted channel. The agreement formalised at FinTech Forward marks the start of a long‑term roadmap to expand investment offerings as market adoption grows.
Why this matters for Bahrain
By pairing NEC’s established retail reach and rigorous KYC processes with Fasset’s regulated infrastructure, the partnership extends global investment access to local customers under Bahrain’s progressive framework. It supports the Kingdom’s strategy to deepen fintech capabilities and convert ecosystem discussions into real distribution for compliant products, reinforcing Bahrain’s hub positioning highlighted around FinTech Forward 2025. With regulated access at its core, the collaboration helps channel investor interest into structured, supervised products that can scale responsibly.
Leadership perspective
Fasset General Manager Mohamed Sabra framed the move as a milestone in expanding ethical, secure investment access across the Middle East and the global south, citing NEC’s reputation and reach in Bahrain as pivotal for OTC expansion to NEC’s customers. NEC CEO/MD Fuad Nonoo emphasized that clients increasingly seek regulated digital asset avenues and that working with Fasset provides a trusted, compliant, and professional channel for high‑value customers to explore these opportunities. Together, the firms conveyed a shared commitment to innovation, compliance, and long‑term value creation for Bahrain’s investors.
Trust, regulation, and access
Fasset’s Category 3 Crypto‑Asset Service Provider status under the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) underpins the partnership with a robust regulatory foundation and investor protection standards. This licensure supports a compliant OTC workflow—from onboarding to execution—so sophisticated clients can access digital opportunities with institutional‑grade safeguards. As the collaboration matures, the regulated infrastructure allows for responsible expansion into broader tokenised and digital asset offerings aligned with market demand.
What NEC customers can expect
- Exclusive OTC access: Bespoke deal support, relationship‑led service, and transparent, compliant execution for high‑value clients via NEC channels powered by Fasset’s infrastructure.
- Regulated environment: Supervised access supported by Fasset’s Category 3 licensing, delivering ethical, secure pathways to innovative financial products.
- Long‑term roadmap: A structured plan to broaden investment opportunities over time as adoption and regulatory clarity continue to strengthen in Bahrain.