BENEFIT, Bahrain’s leading fintech and electronic financial transactions company licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), has signed a landmark linkage agreement with NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) of India to facilitate real-time cross-border payments between the two countries.
The integration connects Bahrain’s Electronic Fund Transfer System (EFTS) — specifically the Fawri+ near-instant transfer service — with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which handles nearly 20 billion transactions monthly worth over US$280 billion and serves a user base of 500 million. This collaboration, overseen by both the CBB and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), marks a major milestone in digital financial connectivity between Bahrain and India.
Through this linkage, users in both countries will soon be able to send and receive money instantly and securely, opening new opportunities for remittances, trade, and cross-border commerce. BENEFIT CEO Abdulwahed AlJanahi described the partnership as a strategic step toward integrating Bahrain’s payment ecosystem with global markets, reinforcing the Kingdom’s leadership in financial innovation and inclusion.
The initiative supports Bahrain’s vision to expand Fawri+ into international payment networks, while advancing regional goals of seamless, real-time digital finance.
