Manama: Bahrain Bourse (BHB), a licensed exchange by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), announced the approval of Arqaam Securities L.L.C. as an External Market Maker, reinforcing its strategic efforts to advance market liquidity and further expand the Kingdom's capital market ecosystem. This initiative aligns with BHB's broader objectives of attracting increased investment flows and elevating market efficiency.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the announcement was made during a signing ceremony held at Bahrain Bourse's premises in the attendance of Yusef Al Yusef, Chairman of Bahrain Bourse, Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Bourse, and Riad Meliti, CEO of Arqaam Capital (parent company of Arqaam Securities).
Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim stated that approving Arqaam Securities as an External Market Maker marks an important step in efforts to create a more dynamic and liquid market. He noted that since the introduction of the updated Market Making Framework, participation from leading institutions has increased, reflecting confidence in Bahrain's growing capital market infrastructure. He added that this development reaffirms Bahrain Bourse's commitment to maintaining a well-regulated, transparent, and competitive market aligned with global standards.
Riad Meliti expressed that Arqaam Securities is proud to join Bahrain Bourse as an External Market Maker and to contribute to the continued development of Bahrain's capital market. He noted that the company's regional experience in liquidity provision and market-making will help boost trading activity, support fair price discovery, and strengthen investor confidence. He added that Arqaam Securities looks forward to working with Bahrain Bourse to further develop the market and attract a wider investor base.
Bahrain Bourse adopted a new framework for Market Making in July 2024, introducing updated Market Making Guidelines while repurposing existing regulations to exclusively address Liquidity Provision. This comprehensive update aligns with the best international practices, aiming to regulate market making and liquidity provision while clearly defining the distinct roles of Market Makers and Liquidity Providers. With the inclusion of Arqaam Securities, the total number of authorised market makers on the Bahrain Bourse now stands at four.