IBS Intelligence Announces the Inaugural Middle East Banking Excellence Awards 2026

The Inaugural Edition of IBSi Middle East Banking Excellence Awards recognises banks, FinTechs and technology providers driving platform modernisation, digital innovation and leadership excellence across the regional banking ecosystem.

Dubai, June 25, 2026 – IBS Intelligence (IBSi) announced the winners of the inaugural IBSi Middle East Banking Excellence Awards (MEBX) 2026, a new regional awards platform recognising excellence in banking technology, digital transformation and financial services innovation across the Middle East and adjacent markets.

The inaugural of MEBX arrives at a time when banks and financial institutions across the region are accelerating investments in digital-first banking models, intelligent automation, cloud-ready platforms, payments modernisation, open banking, customer experience transformation and future-ready operating models. Against this backdrop, MEBX 2026 celebrates institutions and technology partners that are delivering measurable impact through innovation-led banking transformation.

The inaugural edition recognises excellence across three broad award categories: Pioneering Banking Solutions, Digital Innovation & Disruption and Visionary Leaders in Banking. These categories reflect the breadth of transformation underway across digital banking platforms, transaction banking, treasury and capital markets, quality assurance, fraud management, AML, debt collections, Agentic AI, GenAI, open banking, bank–FinTech collaboration and leadership-led change.

The MEBX 2026 Awards highlight the growing maturity of the region’s banking technology landscape. Banks are no longer viewing digital transformation as a channel-led exercise alone; they are increasingly rethinking infrastructure, customer engagement, risk, compliance, payments and innovation models as part of a broader strategic transformation agenda.

“The inaugural MEBX Awards reflect the pace and ambition of banking transformation across the Middle East,” said Nikhil Gokhale, Head of Research Platforms at IBS Intelligence. “The region is seeing strong momentum across platform modernisation, digital banking, AI-led innovation, payments infrastructure, open banking and customer-focused transformation. MEBX 2026 recognises the institutions and technology partners that are setting new benchmarks for execution, innovation and impact.”

The awards also recognise the critical role of collaboration between banks, FinTechs and technology providers. Across the winning entries, a clear theme emerges successful transformation is increasingly being driven by strong implementation partnerships, scalable platforms, sharper customer focus and the ability to translate technology investments into tangible business outcomes.

As banking transformation continues to evolve across the region, the IBSi Middle East Banking Excellence Awards will serve as a regional platform for recognising institutions, teams and partners shaping the next phase of financial services innovation.

The MEBX 2026 Winners Club:

Pioneering Banking Solutions
- Best in Class Digital Banking Platform Implementation| Orion Innovation with BNI Madagascar
- Best in Class Transaction Banking| Intellect Design Arena with Arab National Bank
- Best in Class Treasury & Capital Markets Solution|Teciem with Doha Bank
- Best in Class Testing & Quality Assurance Implementation|QualityKiosk with Commercial Bank of Dubai
- Best in Class Enterprise Fraud Management Solution| Clari5
- Best in Class Digital Banking Platform | Retail| BPC with Jordan Kuwait Bank
- Best in Class Digital Banking Platform | Corporate| First Abu Dhabi Bank
- Best in Class Anti-Money Laundering Solution|KiyaAI with Ajman Bank
Digital Innovation & Disruption
- Best in Class Use of Agentic AI| Zand Bank
- Best in Class Use of GenAI|Gieom with Abu Dhabi Fund for Development
- Best in Class Use of AI / ML for Internal Operations|Gieom with Abu Dhabi Fund for Development
- Best in Class Use of GenAI| Clari5
- Best in Class Bank–FinTech Partnership|QualityKiosk with Commercial Bank of Dubai
- Best in Class Open Banking Implementation| Al Salam Bank
Visionary Leaders in Banking
- Implementation Excellence-Technology Team of the Year | Orion Innovation with BNI Madagascar
- Transformation Program Leader of the Year|Teciem with Doha Bank
- Corporate Bank of the Year| Intellect Design Arena with Arab National Bank
- Innovation Team of the Year| Al Salam Bank

About IBS Intelligence

IBS Intelligence (IBSi) is one of the world’s leading specialist FinTech research and advisory firms. Established in the UK in 1991, IBSi has built a three-decade legacy of delivering independent, data-driven research and strategic advisory services to global technology firms, consulting organizations, institutional investors, and banks.

The Cedar-IBSi platform also runs the Cedar-IBSi FinTech Labs, a BankTech / B2B FinTech accelerator that has been home to 65+ successful FinTechs since 2017 and aims to become the go-to FinTech lab in the region.

IBSi’s independent venture capital fund, Cedar Hill Capital, announced in 2023, is a leading early-stage venture capital fund backing founders building AI-first enterprise technology for the financial services industry.

IBSi’s group company, Cedar, is a 40-year-old global management consulting firm with deep expertise in formulating and executing business strategies for financial services clients worldwide, with significant focus on technology and digital transformation.

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