The study highlights the importance of the financial sector in the Gulf economies as a high-skilled and high-income activity, especially in the context of diversification. The study analyzes the positive and negative implications of membership of the World Trade Organization and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) on banks in the Gulf. The structure, strengths and weaknesses of the Gulf banking sector are also assessed. The study is broadly in favor of liberalizing GCC commercial banking systems in accordance with the GATS.