Mastercard and Bahrain's Tamkeen to Explore Launch of Strive Programme for SMEs
The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Bahrain's Labour Fund (Tamkeen) have announced a strategic partnership to explore the introduction of the Mastercard Strive programme in Bahrain.
If adopted, it would mark the initiative's first implementation in the Middle East.
The proposed collaboration is aimed at strengthening financial and digital capabilities among SMEs in Bahrain.
It also seeks to establish a scalable framework for cooperation between Mastercard and Bahraini institutions in supporting enterprise growth.
Since its launch in 2020, the Mastercard Strive programme has supported over 12 million small businesses globally by improving access to capital, digital infrastructure, and knowledge networks.
Speaking at the 2025 Global Inclusive Growth Summit, Bahrain's Minister of Finance and National Economy, Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, said:
'The Kingdom of Bahrain has always prioritised fostering a supportive environment that enables SMEs to succeed and grow as they continue to play a pivotal role in the economy. This partnership with Mastercard will pave the way for SMEs in Bahrain to utilise financial and digital tools to enhance their operations and improve their productivity.'
The collaboration supports Tamkeen's 2025 strategic goals, which include enhancing the competitiveness of Bahrainis in the private sector, promoting digital transformation, and reinforcing sustainability across enterprises.
Shamina Singh, founder and president of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, said:
'We have always known that small businesses are the engine of the global economy, and help create opportunity and growth for communities. Through Mastercard Strive, the Center is excited to partner with the Kingdom of Bahrain and Tamkeen to help Bahrainis thrive in the private sector while building their skills in financial and digital readiness.'
The initiative is intended to strengthen the ecosystem for SME development in Bahrain, with a focus on long-term economic resilience and inclusive growth.
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'Truly cashless economies — such as Sweden, and South Korea — are a rarity, with low levels of inequality, where all adults have access to a basic bank account and digital payment instrument, and where the right to hold an account is often enshrined in law.' He added: 'The UAE context is different, with a rich diversity of cultures that have distinct spending and technology habits.' One key distinction, he noted, is the sheer volume of outgoing remittances by migrant workers — many of whom still rely on cash due to gaps in digital infrastructure at the receiving end. 'Some remittance corridors will always be cash-reliant, as long as digital financial services are not available at both ends of these corridors.' In simpler terms: even if a foreign worker in Dubai can send money digitally, it doesn't help if their family back home can't receive it the same way. Until both sides of the transaction are online, cash will still have a role to play. 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