MANAMA, Bahrain —Bahrain Bourse (BHB), a licensed exchange regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain and an affiliate member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), has announced its participation in the eighth annual World Investor Week (WIW), taking place from 7th to 13th October 2024.

As part of IOSCO’s World Investor Week, Bahrain Bourse virtually participated in the World Federation of Exchanges' annual 'Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy' event, joining 100 other global exchanges. This marks BHB’s seventh consecutive year of participation, reaffirming its commitment to advancing investor education and awareness through collaboration with both local partners and international exchanges.

Throughout the week-long campaign, Bahrain Bourse organized a series of activities in collaboration with key stakeholders to emphasize the importance of financial literacy and showcase its financial awareness programs, where an awareness session has been organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior to shed light on the risks of electronic fraud to investors conducted by Major Mohammed Al-Abdulla, Head of the Financial Crimes Department at the Ministry of Interior.

World Investor Week, led by IOSCO, is a global campaign designed to raise awareness about investor education and protection and highlight the various initiatives of securities regulators. This year’s campaign focuses on three pivotal themes that mirror the rapid changes in the financial landscape: Technology and Digital Finance, Crypto Assets, and Sustainable Finance. Other supporting themes include Fraud and Scam Prevention, Investor Resilience, and the Basics of Investing. 

Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Bourse, stated: “Our steadfast participation in IOSCO’s World Investor Week highlights Bahrain Bourse’s firm commitment towards advancing investor education and enhancing Bahrain’s capital market ecosystem. Through this campaign, Bahrain Bourse and other exchanges around the world aim to highlight the pivotal roles that financial literacy plays in fostering robust and resilient capital markets. We remain committed to partnering with local, regional, and global organizations to elevate financial literacy, strengthen investor protection, and encourage responsible investing.”

Jean-Paul Servais, Chair of the IOSCO Board and Chairman of Financial Services and Markets Authority, Belgium, commented on this occasion, "Last year’s World Investor Week saw the involvement of 118 jurisdictions and reached almost 730 million individuals. With technological advancements and increased use of AI, new challenges arise. We also see how crypto, fractional trading, gamification, and copy-trading are trending. I am confident that WIW 2024 will build on previous successes to drive greater investor awareness of these issues and look forward to contributing to its success."

Bahrain Bourse continues to spearhead various initiatives aimed at fostering financial literacy across all age groups, in alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 ‘Quality Education.’ These initiatives include the Board Mentorship Program, developed in partnership with the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) to cultivate board-ready Bahraini talent through specialized training. Other notable programs include the Smart Investor Program in collaboration with INJAZ Bahrain for elementary students, the long-standing TradeQuest Program for high school and university students, and the Capital Markets Apprenticeship Program, designed to equip interns with key professional and soft skills and enrich their knowledge within the capital market sector.