Chainlink Adds Bahrain Telco to Roster of Big-Name Node Operators

Crypto-friendly stc Bahrain will launch a Chainlink node, joining Deutsche Telekom and Swisscom.

AccessTimeIconFeb 28, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 5:58 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

A subsidiary of Saudi Telecom Company (stc) is the first telecommunications firm in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to start working with crypto infrastructure firm Chainlink.

Blockchain and crypto-friendly stc Bahrain will launch a Chainlink node, providing smart contracts with access to real-world data and secure off-chain computations, the companies said on Monday.

  • What Challenges Do Appchains Solve?
    00:59
    What Challenges Do Appchains Solve?
  • Appchain Protocol Tanssi Raises $6M
    18:57
    Appchain Protocol Tanssi Raises $6M
  • Breaking Down Internet Computer's 40% Rally
    00:59
    Breaking Down Internet Computer's 40% Rally
  • HSBC Brings Tokenized Gold to Hong Kong; Munchables Exploited for $62M
    02:14
    HSBC Brings Tokenized Gold to Hong Kong; Munchables Exploited for $62M
  • In recent months, Chainlink, the undisputed heavyweight when it comes to providing blockchain-based smart contracts with external data, has partnered with an array of real-world data and infrastructure providers, including price feeds for decentralized finance (DeFi), weather data and trusted election results.

    It’s the third telco to work with Chainlink; Deutsche Telekom, something of a trailblazer in the public blockchain space, was the first to partner with Chainlink, and Swisscom is also advanced in this area.

    Bahrain’s central bank has been forward-thinking in its creation of a regulatory framework, making it an important hub in the region. For its part, stc Bahrain has introduced financial services and insurance and is venturing into content aggregation and gaming, not to mention kicking the tires of blockchain, according to Saad Odeh, stc Bahrain’s chief wholesale officer.

    “We are a small, agile team and a very small country,” said Odeh in an interview with CoinDesk. “So, normally if the main group wants to try something new out, they try it here in Bahrain, and then we roll it back to the rest of the group and its affiliates.”

    Odeh predicts stc Bahrain’s oracle and data support will run to financial markets information, and in the future could include things like data relating to consumer behavior and applications around health care.

    “We are starting with Ethereum and will definitely be looking to introduce blockchain topologies and applications in Bahrain,” Odeh said. “We are lucky to have a very friendly regulatory framework, whether it’s from a financial perspective or from a telecoms perspective.”

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Ian Allison

    Ian Allison is an award-winning senior reporter at CoinDesk. He holds ETH.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.


    Read more about