Companies›Bale

Bale

FintechBank Melli IranIndex constituent
Entity IDIR-CO-2162
SectorFintech
Founded2016
HQTehran
VerificationCorroborated
Last reviewed2026-08-11

Messaging and fintech super-app developed by Bank Melli Iran; integrates chat with a wallet (Giban), bill payments and in-app commerce. ~16.5M monthly active users (2023).

Tehran Index tracks this company as part of a source-linked research record on Iran’s technology economy. Access opens to a limited first cohort. Register for access, or browse the registry.

Decision snapshot
Founded
2016
2016Third-party reported
Persian Wikipedia ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27
Developer
Sadad (سداد)
CurrentThird-party reported
Persian Wikipedia ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27
Parent institution
Bank Melli Iran (بانک ملی ایران)
CurrentCompany disclosed
bale.ai/about ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27
Entity type
Bank-owned digital platform / brand, not a standalone company
CurrentTI derived
Tehran Index classification · retrieved 2026-07-27

Every field carries an explicit evidence state and its source. Self-reported figures are labelled as such; nothing is presented with more certainty than its source supports.

Operating metrics, period-stamped
Installs (Cafe Bazaar)Bahman 2025-26Third-party reported
31M
Persian Wikipedia, citing Cafe Bazaar ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27Third-largest Iranian messenger by install base after Rubika, Eita (partly due to Telegram filtering)
Integrated banksCurrentThird-party reported
20+
Way2Pay ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27Bank Melli is the operating bank; Bank Sepah is one of the 20+ integrated
Business model & group
Core productsCurrentThird-party reported
Instant messaging, voice/video calls, social features (channels, groups, stickers, bots), banking services (card-to-card, bill pay, mobile top-up), 20+ integrated banks
Persian Wikipedia / Way2Pay ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27Three service layers: messaging, interactive, financial
PlatformsCurrentThird-party reported
Android, iOS, Windows, Web, PWA
Persian Wikipedia ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27
Leadership
CEOCurrentThird-party reported
Mostafa Radmard (مصطفی رادمرد)
FAMP.ir interview ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27Referred to as founder/CEO of Bale messenger in the interview
Ownership & capital
Parent entityCurrentCompany disclosed
Bank Melli Iran
bale.ai/about ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27Developed by Sadad for Bank Melli
Competitive set
DirectCurrentThird-party reported
Rubika, Eita, Soroush, iGap, Shad (Iranian messengers)
Persian Wikipedia ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27Bale ranks #3 by install base among Iranian messengers
What we don't know
Not disclosedNot disclosed
Bank-owned, financials likely absorbed into Bank Melli's own statements

Stated gaps are part of the record: in an opaque market, knowing what is NOT publicly established is as decision-relevant as what is.

Source ledger, every field, its evidence
FoundedThird-party reported2016
2016
Persian Wikipedia ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
DeveloperThird-party reportedCurrent
Sadad (سداد)
Persian Wikipedia ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
Parent institutionCompany disclosedCurrent
Bank Melli Iran (بانک ملی ایران)
bale.ai/about ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
Entity typeTI derivedCurrent
Bank-owned digital platform / brand, not a standalone company
Tehran Index classification · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
CEOThird-party reportedCurrent
Mostafa Radmard (مصطفی رادمرد)
FAMP.ir interview ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
Core productsThird-party reportedCurrent
Instant messaging, voice/video calls, social features (channels, groups, stickers, bots), banking services (card-to-card, bill pay, mobile top-up), 20+ integrated banks
Persian Wikipedia / Way2Pay ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
PlatformsThird-party reportedCurrent
Android, iOS, Windows, Web, PWA
Persian Wikipedia ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
Installs (Cafe Bazaar)Third-party reportedBahman 2025-26
31M
Persian Wikipedia, citing Cafe Bazaar ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
Integrated banksThird-party reportedCurrent
20+
Way2Pay ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
DirectThird-party reportedCurrent
Rubika, Eita, Soroush, iGap, Shad (Iranian messengers)
Persian Wikipedia ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27
Parent entityCompany disclosedCurrent
Bank Melli Iran
bale.ai/about ↗ · retrieved 2026-07-27retrieved 2026-07-27

Last full review: 2026-08-11 · Tehran Index research desk · corrections: desk@tehranindex.com

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Registered entity
OwnershipDeveloped and owned by Bank Melli Iran
Entity notesBANK PRODUCT: messaging and payments app whose financial infrastructure is provided by Bank Melli Iran (state-owned). Kept as a product row per Mehdi's 2026-08-11 scope decision; the bank itself gets no row and no registry anchoring.
Evidence & verification
Verification tierCorroborated, two or more independent sources
Primary evidenceen.wikipedia.org
Registry identifiersWithheld for compliance

Fields on this profile derive from linked public sources or the official company registry; unknown values stay blank rather than guessed, and estimates are always labelled. How we verify →

Quick facts
Tehran, Iran
Founded 2016
bale.aiLinkedIn
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