---
title: "Arab Banking Corporation BSC SWIFT/BIC code ABCOBHBMXXX · Bahrain | Elucidate"
description: "SWIFT/BIC code ABCOBHBMXXX for Arab Banking Corporation BSC, Bahrain. Head-office BIC, LEI 213800NCSKH968YFDB88, addresses and Swift connectivity."
url: https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-bsc-abcobhbm
---

1.  [Directory](https://elucidate.co/directory)
2.  [Bahrain](https://elucidate.co/directory/country/bh)
3.  Arab Banking Corporation BSC

![Bank ABC logo](https://elucidate.co/images/banks/6a/6ad9d38bbf8a9d43.webp)

Bahrain · Financial institution

# Arab Banking Corporation BSC

Legal name in the LEI record المؤسسة العربيه المصرفيه ش.م.ب

Arab Banking Corporation (B.S.C.), which trades as Bank ABC, is a Bahraini shareholding company headquartered in Manama. It was incorporated by Amiri decree in 1980 and holds a conventional wholesale banking licence from the Central Bank of Bahrain. The Central Bank of Libya holds 59.37% and the Kuwait Investment Authority 29.69%, and the shares are listed on Bahrain Bourse. The bank provides trade finance, treasury, project and structured finance, syndications, corporate banking and Islamic banking, and it runs the mobile-only retail bank ila Bank.

BIC **ABCOBHBMXXX** LEI **[213800NCSKH968YFDB88](https://search.gleif.org/#/record/213800NCSKH968YFDB88)** Licence no. **Not on a tracked register** Connected to Swift Swift GPI live member Head-office BIC only [Group: Arab Banking Corporation B S C](https://elucidate.co/directory/group/213800NCSKH968YFDB88) [Claim this profile](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-bsc-abcobhbm#claim)

## Licences and registrations

Matched by LEI on the 22 tracked registers

None matched by LEI in the 22 tracked registers.

-   The tracked registers cover payment, e-money, crypto and money-service firms in 37 countries. Bank licences from national supervisors are not tracked.

## Swift network

Swift’s ISO 9362 BIC directory

- **BIC:** ABCOBHBMXXX head office
- **Connection to Swift:** Connected to Swift
- **Swift GPI:** Live member
- **Payment schemes and systems:** No entry in the EPC registers, the ECB T2 and TIPS lists or the SIX Bank Master cites this BIC
- **Branch codes:** None: head-office BIC only
- **Other BICs with this LEI:** [ABCOIQB1](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-abcoiqb1) · [ABCOUS33](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-abcous33)
- **BIC first registered:** 1987-11-16
- **Last updated:** 2024-07-05

## Overview

Researched 29 Sep 2026 · [Sources](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-bsc-abcobhbm#overview-sources)

Total assets

USD 46.9bn

Group · 30 Jun 2026 · [interim report ↗](https://bahrainbourse.com/NewAttachments/13082026074549/13082026074549_File1.pdf)

Employees

Not published

Ownership

State-owned

Ticker ABC

Institution type

Commercial bank

Trades as Bank ABC

- **Ownership:** The Central Bank of Libya holds 59.37% and the Kuwait Investment Authority 29.69%, and other shareholders hold 10.94%.
- **Direct parent:** Central Bank of Libya, Libya 59.37%
- **Major shareholder:** Kuwait Investment Authority 29.69% · 31 Dec 2025
- **Stock listing:** Bahrain Bourse ABC
- **Head office:** Bank ABC Tower, Building 152, Road 1703, Block 317, Diplomatic Area, PO Box 5698, Manama, Bahrain
- **Company register:** CR 10299, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Kingdom of Bahrain

### Business lines

-   Corporate banking
-   Trade finance
-   Transaction banking & payments
-   Markets & trading
-   Investment banking
-   Islamic banking
-   Retail banking

The bank focuses on international wholesale banking and treasury, and it offers retail and digital banking in the MENA region through ila Bank and its subsidiaries.

### Online

- **Websites & references:** [bank-abc.com ↗](https://www.bank-abc.com/) [ilabank.com ↗](https://www.ilabank.com/) ila Bank, the bank's digital retail banking unit [digital.bank-abc.com ↗](https://digital.bank-abc.com/) ABC Digital online banking portal [Wikipedia ↗](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Banking_Corporation)
- **Official social accounts:** [LinkedIn ↗](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bankabc/) · [X ↗](https://twitter.com/bankabc_news) · [Facebook ↗](https://www.facebook.com/BankABCGroup/) · [YouTube ↗](https://www.youtube.com/c/BankABCGroup/) · [Flickr ↗](https://www.flickr.com/people/bankabc/) · [Spotify (podcast) ↗](https://open.spotify.com/show/0BWwU3ruQehXSfscL0RD8V) · [Apple Podcasts ↗](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap-with-bank-abc/id1895621193)

Sources · 12 pages consulted

1.  [bahrainbourse.com/NewAttachments/13082026074549/13082026074549\_File1.pdf](https://bahrainbourse.com/NewAttachments/13082026074549/13082026074549_File1.pdf)
2.  [bank-abc.com/ar/ShareholderRelations/Annual%20Reports/Annual%20Report%202025.pdf](https://www.bank-abc.com/ar/ShareholderRelations/Annual%20Reports/Annual%20Report%202025.pdf)
3.  [bank-abc.com/en/AboutABC/Pages/Fact-Sheet.aspx](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/AboutABC/Pages/Fact-Sheet.aspx)
4.  [bank-abc.com/en/aboutabc/management/pages/directors.aspx](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/aboutabc/management/pages/directors.aspx)
5.  [bank-abc.com/en/AboutABC/Management/senior-management](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/AboutABC/Management/senior-management)
6.  [bank-abc.com/en/ShareholderRelations/shareholder-info](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/ShareholderRelations/shareholder-info)
7.  [bahrainbourse.com/sysimages/majorshareholder/ABC\_MajorShareholder\_11479827.pdf](https://bahrainbourse.com/sysimages/majorshareholder/ABC_MajorShareholder_11479827.pdf)
8.  [bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease/paul-jennings-group-ceo](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease/paul-jennings-group-ceo)
9.  [bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease/bank-abc-announces-retirement-of-group-ceo](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease/bank-abc-announces-retirement-of-group-ceo)
10.  [bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease)
11.  [marketscreener.com/news/arab-banking-corporation-b-s-c-appoints-suresh-padmanabhan-as-acting-group-chief-fin](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/arab-banking-corporation-b-s-c-appoints-suresh-padmanabhan-as-acting-group-chief-financial-office-ce7e5fdddb8efe22)
12.  [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab\_Banking\_Corporation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Banking_Corporation)

## Leadership

Researched 29 Sep 2026 · [Sources](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-bsc-abcobhbm#overview-sources)

- **Chief executive:** ![Paul Jennings](https://elucidate.co/images/banks/07/073b704cd94e05be.webp) Paul Jennings Group Chief Executive Officer Confirmed 12 Aug 2026 · [bank-abc.com ↗](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease/paul-jennings-group-ceo)
- **Chair:** Naji Belgasem Chairman Confirmed 12 Aug 2026 · [bahrainbourse.com ↗](https://bahrainbourse.com/NewAttachments/13082026074549/13082026074549_File1.pdf)
- **Chief financial officer:** Suresh Padmanabhan Acting Group Chief Financial Officer Confirmed 8 Feb 2026 · [bank-abc.com ↗](https://www.bank-abc.com/ar/ShareholderRelations/Annual%20Reports/Annual%20Report%202025.pdf)
- **Executive:** Abdulaziz Fahad Alhudaib Deputy Chairman Confirmed 12 Aug 2026 · [bahrainbourse.com ↗](https://bahrainbourse.com/NewAttachments/13082026074549/13082026074549_File1.pdf)

## Supervisors & regulators

Researched 29 Sep 2026 · [Sources](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-bsc-abcobhbm#overview-sources)

- **Bahrain:** Central Bank of Bahrain Central bank Prudential supervisor AML supervisor

## Recent events

Researched 29 Sep 2026 · [Sources](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-bsc-abcobhbm#overview-sources)

1.  Aug 2026

    Leadership

    Paul Jennings became Group Chief Executive Officer on 5 August 2026 after approval by the Board and the Central Bank of Bahrain.

    [bank-abc.com ↗](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease/paul-jennings-group-ceo)

2.  Mar 2026

    Leadership

    The bank appointed Suresh Padmanabhan as Acting Group Chief Financial Officer from 1 March 2026.

    [marketscreener.com ↗](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/arab-banking-corporation-b-s-c-appoints-suresh-padmanabhan-as-acting-group-chief-financial-office-ce7e5fdddb8efe22)

3.  Feb 2026

    Leadership

    The Board appointed Brendon Hopkins as Acting Group CEO on 1 February 2026, after Sael Al Waary retired on 31 January 2026.

    [bank-abc.com ↗](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease/bank-abc-announces-retirement-of-group-ceo)

4.  Oct 2025

    Other

    The bank issued USD 200 million of perpetual Additional Tier 1 securities to its ultimate parent, the Central Bank of Libya.

    [bank-abc.com ↗](https://www.bank-abc.com/ar/ShareholderRelations/Annual%20Reports/Annual%20Report%202025.pdf)

5.  Mar 2025

    Leadership

    Shareholders elected a new Board on 16 March 2025, and Naji Belgasem succeeded Saddek Omar El Kaber as Chairman.

    [bank-abc.com ↗](https://www.bank-abc.com/ar/ShareholderRelations/Annual%20Reports/Annual%20Report%202025.pdf)

Compliance-relevant events of the last three years, newest first: fines and enforcement, investigations, incidents, leadership changes, mergers and licence changes. Each links to its source.

## Identifiers

Head-office record

- **BIC:** ABCOBHBMXXX
- **How the BIC breaks down:** 1. ABCO Bank 2. BH Country · Bahrain 3. BM Location 4. XXX Branch · head office
- **Branch description:** Not recorded in the directory
- **LEI:** 213800NCSKH968YFDB88
- **LEI record:** [View on GLEIF ↗](https://search.gleif.org/#/record/213800NCSKH968YFDB88)
- **How the LEI was matched:** BIC: Mapped to this BIC in the Swift and GLEIF BIC-to-LEI relationship file.

## Profile

- **Type:** Financial institution
- **Regulation:** Not on a tracked register
- **Register licences:** None matched by LEI in the 22 tracked registersThe tracked registers cover payment, e-money, crypto and money-service firms in 37 countries. Bank licences from national supervisors are not tracked.
- **Country · region:** Bahrain · Middle East & North Africa
- **Trading venues (MIC):** No MIC registered under this LEI list of 2026-09-17
- **OFAC sanctions:** No listing cites this BIC
- **EU sanctions:** No listing matched this BIC or its LEI
- **Country sanctions:** No country programme

Types come from Swift’s BIC classification, the licences on the 22 tracked registers, and the ECB and FSB bank lists. Most banks outside the euro area appear as financial institutions, because their supervisors’ registers are not tracked yet.

No licence or registration was found for this entity on the 22 registers the directory tracks, or on the ECB and FSB bank lists. Most banks are licensed by national supervisors whose registers are not tracked yet. This does not mean that the institution is unregulated.

## Ownership and group

GLEIF relationship records

The Arab Banking Corporation B S C group has 8 institutions in the directory, in 8 countries: all hold a BIC.

Including [Arab Banking Corporation SA Frankfurt Branch](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-sa-frankfurt-branch-abcadeff), [Arab Banking Corporation SA](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-sa-abcofrpp), [Arab Banking Corporation SA Milan Branch](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-sa-milan-branch-abcoitmm), [Abc International Bank PLC](https://elucidate.co/directory/abc-international-bank-plc-abcegb2l), [Arab Banking Corporation (B.S.C.), Singapore Branch](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-b-s-c-singapore-branch-abcosgsg).

[See the Arab Banking Corporation B S C group →](https://elucidate.co/directory/group/213800NCSKH968YFDB88)

Group membership follows the accounting-consolidation relationships reported to GLEIF. It does not show ownership shares or control.

## Addresses

- **Registered address:** ABC TOWER BUILDING 152 FLOOR 4 DIPLOMATIC AREA MANAMA BAHRAIN
- **Operational address:** ABC TOWER BUILDING BLOCK 317 FLOOR 4 152 ROAD 1703 MANAMA MANAMA POB 5698 BAHRAIN

## ISO 20022 identification

As an agent in a Swift cross-border payment message (CBPR+)

A CBPR+ message identifies this institution by its BIC, and may add its LEI or a clearing code. CBPR+ does not allow a name and postal address next to a BIC.

- **Identified by:** BIC, with its LEI
- **Roles in CBPR+:** Any agent, including the instructing and instructed agents

### CBPR+

For cross-border payments on Swift: the BIC, with the LEI and clearing code where known

```xml
<FinInstnId>
  <BICFI>ABCOBHBMXXX</BICFI>
  <LEI>213800NCSKH968YFDB88</LEI>
</FinInstnId>
```

### Full record

Every ISO 20022 element the directory holds. Base ISO 20022 allows them together. CBPR+ does not allow a name and address next to a BIC

```xml
<FinInstnId>
  <BICFI>ABCOBHBMXXX</BICFI>
  <LEI>213800NCSKH968YFDB88</LEI>
  <Nm>ARAB BANKING CORPORATION BSC</Nm>
  <PstlAdr>
    <TwnNm>MANAMA</TwnNm>
    <Ctry>BH</Ctry>
    <AdrLine>ABC TOWER BUILDING 152 FLOOR 4 DIPLOMATIC AREA MANAMA</AdrLine>
  </PstlAdr>
</FinInstnId>
```

The BIC, name and address are as published in Swift’s BIC directory. The LEI comes from the Swift and GLEIF BIC-to-LEI file. Check them against your own records before use.

## Related institutions

### Same legal entity

-   [Arab Banking Corporation BIC ABCOIQB1 Financial institution Not on a tracked register Iraq · Not on a tracked register · LEI 213800NCSKH968YFDB88](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-abcoiqb1)
-   [Arab Banking Corporation BIC ABCOUS33 Financial institution Not on a tracked register United States · Not on a tracked register · LEI 213800NCSKH968YFDB88](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-abcous33)

Other BICs mapped to the same LEI.

### Subsidiaries in the directory

-   [Abc International Bank PLC BIC ABCEGB2L Financial institution Not on a tracked register United Kingdom · Not on a tracked register · LEI PQEBSF10YW5QXWIKTJ21](https://elucidate.co/directory/abc-international-bank-plc-abcegb2l)

Entities that GLEIF records with this LEI as their direct parent.

### Same group

-   [Arab Banking Corporation SA BIC ABCOFRPP Credit institution Prudential licence France · On the ECB list of supervised entities · LEI 969500090LN710HT1B25](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-sa-abcofrpp)
-   [Arab Banking Corporation (B.S.C.), Singapore Branch BIC ABCOSGSG Financial institution Not on a tracked register Singapore · Not on a tracked register · LEI 549300MUUU8K18347O59](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-banking-corporation-b-s-c-singapore-branch-abcosgsg)

[All 8 institutions in the Arab Banking Corporation B S C group →](https://elucidate.co/directory/group/213800NCSKH968YFDB88)

### Largest institutions in Bahrain

-   [Bbk BIC BBKUBHBM Financial institution Not on a tracked register Bahrain · Not on a tracked register · LEI 549300MCPF5HTBF8ZR90](https://elucidate.co/directory/bbk-bbkubhbm)
-   [Arab Bank PLC BIC ARABBHBM Financial institution Not on a tracked register Bahrain · Not on a tracked register · LEI 5493001JH4LYPQTBQP79](https://elucidate.co/directory/arab-bank-plc-arabbhbm)
-   [Icici Bank Limited BIC ICICBHBM Financial institution Not on a tracked register Bahrain · Not on a tracked register · No LEI mapped](https://elucidate.co/directory/icici-bank-limited-icicbhbm)
-   [Al Baraka Islamic Bank B.S.C - Closed BIC ABIBBHBM Financial institution Not on a tracked register Bahrain · Not on a tracked register · LEI 213800UYR4MJ6VKWZS44](https://elucidate.co/directory/al-baraka-islamic-bank-b-s-c-closed-abibbhbm)
-   [Bahrain Islamic Bank B.S.C. BIC BIBBBHBM Financial institution Not on a tracked register Bahrain · Not on a tracked register · LEI 558600FAUY6XHS2B0J49](https://elucidate.co/directory/bahrain-islamic-bank-b-s-c-bibbbhbm)
-   [Citibank N.A. BIC CITIBHBX Credit institution Prudential licence Bahrain · On the FSB G-SIB list · LEI E57ODZWZ7FF32TWEFA76](https://elucidate.co/directory/citibank-n-a-citibhbx)
-   [First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC BIC NBADBHBM Financial institution Not on a tracked register Bahrain · Not on a tracked register · LEI 2138002Y3WMK6RZS8H90](https://elucidate.co/directory/first-abu-dhabi-bank-pjsc-nbadbhbm)
-   [Gulf International Bank B.S.C. BIC GULFBHBM Financial institution Not on a tracked register Bahrain · Not on a tracked register · LEI 558600JW2XPMLG97TV14](https://elucidate.co/directory/gulf-international-bank-b-s-c-gulfbhbm)

[See every BIC in Bahrain →](https://elucidate.co/directory/country/bh#bics)

Claim this profile

## Work at Arab Banking Corporation BSC?

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Sources & method

Every value comes from a public source, such as Swift’s ISO 9362 BIC directory, GLEIF or the OFAC and EU sanctions lists. Most sources are matched on a BIC or an LEI, not on a name.

Swift GPI membership is matched on names and is indicative. A missing sanctions match does not mean that no listing applies. Always screen against the official lists.

The sanctions facts on this page cover the BIC and its LEI only.

An institution is one entry in the directory: a BIC8 in Swift’s directory, or a firm on a tracked register that holds no BIC. Licences held by an institution with a BIC are shown on its page.

[Read the methodology →](https://elucidate.co/directory/methodology)

Credits for this page

-   **Ownership and group**—GLEIF Level 2 relationship records (accounting consolidation), matched by LEI.
-   **Overview, leadership, regulators and events**—researched per institution by an AI model with web search, from the institution's own website and reports, regulators, company registers and news. Figures, people and events link to their source, and each card shows the research date. AI research can be wrong or out of date, so check key facts at the source.
-   **Images**—logos and photos from Wikimedia Commons (credited with their author and licence) or from the institution's own website, where Wikimedia has none. Elucidate keeps a copy of each; the links lead to the source and the original image. Logo: [bank-abc.com](https://www.bank-abc.com/en) (official website) · [original](https://www.bank-abc.com/Style%20Library/Images/BankABClogo.png); Paul Jennings: [bank-abc.com](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease/paul-jennings-group-ceo) (official website) · [original](https://www.bank-abc.com/en/Media%20Relations/PressRelease/PublishingImages/2026/Paul-Jennings-big.png).

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Licence and registration data are drawn from the public registers of the regulators named on each page and shown for information only; the official register is always the authority. LEIs and ownership are from GLEIF. Directory and gpi data are drawn from SWIFT's public sources. SWIFT, Swift gpi and UETR are trademarks of S.W.I.F.T. SC, Avenue Adèle 1, 1310 La Hulpe, Belgium. Elucidate is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by SWIFT or any regulator named here. Elucidate does not provide payment or other financial services.
