Mastercard wearable payment bands for kids launched

The digital allowance is stored securely on a comfortable wristband, ensuring access to a trendy and convenient wearable for kids from seven to 18 years old.
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Updated 06 July 2021
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Mastercard wearable payment bands for kids launched

Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB) has launched its “Future Leaders” youth program, featuring the market’s first wearable wristband branded by Mastercard. Future Leaders is a one-of-a-kind prepaid solution for children and teenagers that enables parents to issue children’s allowances digitally, enabling better financial literacy for the children and more financial control for parents. 

The digital allowance is stored securely on a comfortable wristband, ensuring access to a trendy and convenient wearable for kids from seven to 18 years old. A prepaid card option is also available. 

The cashless payment solution allows kids to conduct transactions, manage their finances and track their spending on the go. 

“At BisB, we are incredibly proud to empower the next generation, enable them to learn key life skills and encourage an independent mindset through Future Leaders. We are delighted to collaborate with Mastercard as an innovative partner that ensures the payment technology is as safe as it is secure, ensuring our customers’ peace of mind. This program is an excellent example of how we can catalyze digital transformation in the financial sector by providing advanced innovations that truly transform our customers’ experience,” said Hassan Jarrar, CEO of BisB. 

“Accelerated digitization is all around us and research shows that contactless payments are here to stay,” said J.K. Khalil, country manager, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Levant, Mastercard. “Wearable tech is also a growing segment, and while expecting at the very minimum a fast, secure and safe payment technology, we know that users — especially the young and digitally savvy generations of tomorrow — will demand a seamless cashless payment experience. At Mastercard, we care greatly about financial literacy and inclusion, and seeing the youth increasingly more included and engaged in the Bahraini digital economy is really fantastic.”

A Future Leaders prepaid account can be opened and activated by parents via BisB’s website or mobile app, for children. The solution is online and NFC-enabled, which can then be used to make purchases in stores as well as online via e-commerce. Parents can also receive notifications and transfer funds to children’s accounts.


25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum

Updated 27 December 2025
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25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum

The Social Development Bank concluded the second edition of the Entrepreneurship and Modern Business Practices Forum — DeveGo 2025 — announcing the achievement of high-impact outcomes that further reinforced the forum’s position as the largest national platform in the region dedicated to entrepreneurship, innovation, and freelance work in Saudi Arabia and beyond. 

The forum witnessed broad participation from local and international experts, investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of local, regional, and international institutions.

Over three days at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the forum drew 25,000 participants and visitors, who benefited from over 45 specialized workshops and over 2500 advisory sessions delivered by more than 70 consultants and experts. 

The sessions covered key areas including entrepreneurial planning, business models, venture capital, digital platforms, freelancing, and emerging technologies. 

The forum also featured 20 panel discussions with leading local and international speakers, addressing major global trends in entrepreneurship, including the future of artificial intelligence, the creative economy, digital transformation, and venture investment. 

The forum saw the launch of the Saudi Empretec Fellowship, in the presence of Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development. 

The partners in success within the Social Responsibility Portfolio supporting entrepreneurs were honored. 

It also saw the honoring of 13 winners of the Handicrafts Competition, representing various regions of the Kingdom, the announcement of winners of the Salam Award for Promising Projects, and the recognition of leading entrepreneurial projects fund under the Enterprises Track. 

In addition, the NEXT UP Challenge concluded on the third day of the forum with 20 startups presenting their projects to more than 500 investors, enhancing opportunities for networking and partnership building.

As part of efforts to strengthen the support ecosystem, the forum witnessed the signing of 51 agreements, along with the launch of a suite of new financing products. These included the Capital Expansion Product with a ceiling of up to SR10 million, the Payroll Product with a ceiling of SR2 million, and the Rental Product with a ceiling of SR1.5 million, aimed at supporting enterprises in asset development and covering operational costs. 

This reflects the bank’s direction toward offering more specialized financing tools that respond effectively to market needs.

The forum concluded by reaffirming its role as a unifying national platform for entrepreneurship, where accompanying activities and events provided direct engagement opportunities between entrepreneurs, investors, and experts. 

The forum also highlighted success stories and practical experiences that reflect the scale of entrepreneurial momentum in the Kingdom and the growing role of the Social Development Bank in supporting a national economy driven by innovation and knowledge.