ila News

Manama, Bahrain: ila Bank, Bahrain's leading digital mobile-only bank powered by Bank ABC, has been awarded ten prestigious accolades by Global Finance's World's Best Consumer Digital Banks Awards 2026, reaffirming its position as a digital banking leader and a disruptive innovator setting new benchmarks in financial services in the region and beyond. The recognition underscores ila’s successful delivery of a unique banking experience that fulfils its promise of ‘banking that reflects you.’

ila Bank received the coveted regional title ‘Best Neobank of the Year in the Middle East’ award, while also securing an impressive nine national titles, namely ‘Overall Best Consumer Digital Bank’, ‘The Social & Community Banking Award’, ‘Best Mobile Banking App’, ‘Best User Experience (UX) Design’, ‘Most Innovative Digital Bank’, ‘Best Neobank of the Year’, ‘Best in Precision Credit & Lending’, ‘Best in Social Media Marketing & Services’, and ‘Best Bill Payment & Presentment’ in Bahrain.

Commenting on this major achievement, Mohamed Al Maraj, CEO of ila Bank, said: “We are honored to be recognized by Global Finance with ten prestigious awards, including the first-time win ‘Best Neobank in the Middle East’. This remarkable achievement reflects ila’s unwavering commitment to deliver innovative banking experiences that empower people to manage their financial lives with confidence and ease. These awards attest to the trust our customers place in us every day, the strength and scalability of our digital proposition, and the relentless dedication of the ila team and Bank ABC Group to reshape the future of banking.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to our customers for their loyalty, to our teams for their passion and commitment to excellence, and to our Board of Directors for their unwavering support. As we look ahead, we remain focused on creating seamless, meaningful and highly personalized experiences that add value to our customers everyday lives and deliver sustained growth for all our stakeholders.”

On this year’s winners, Joseph Giarraputo, Global Finance’s founder and editorial director commented: “Digital banking has become one of the most important areas of focus for the financial industry, as banks expand their use of AI, automation and advanced data analytics. Rising expectations for speed, personalization and seamless digital experiences are pushing banks to innovate, while strengthening security, resilience and regulatory compliance. Global Finance’s World’s Best Digital Banks 2026 are the institutions setting new standards for digital banking worldwide.”

The Global Finance World’s Best Consumer Digital Banks Awards recognize financial institutions that demonstrate excellence in digital innovation, user experience, digital product development, and customer engagement, and are widely regarded as one of the industry’s most respected benchmarks for digital banking achievement.

This latest recognition reinforces ila Bank’s reputation as a digital banking pioneer, delivering innovative solutions that simplify financial management, enrich customer experiences, and set new standards for consumer banking. The achievement also builds on a strong year of industry recognition, including ‘Best Retail Digital Bank in MENA’ by MEED’s MENA Banking Excellence Awards 2026 and ‘Bahrain’s Best Digital Bank for Consumers’ by Euromoney’s Awards for Excellence 2026.