Active accounts surge 111% as institutions, companies dominate trading on KSE in 2025
The institutions and companies sector continued to be the largest trader on the Kuwait Stock Exchange in 2025, accounting for 62.5 percent of the total value of shares purchased and 60.9 percent of the total value of shares sold, according to an economic report issued by Al-Shall Consulting.
The figures, based on statistics from the Kuwait Clearing Company, show an increase compared to 2024, when institutions and companies accounted for 58.2 percent of purchases and 57.3 percent of sales. The sector bought shares worth 16.7 billion dinars (approximately $50 billion) and sold shares worth 16.3 billion dinars (about $49.7 billion).
The report noted that the individuals sector remained the second-largest contributor to market liquidity, accounting for 36.8 percent of total sales and 35.4 percent of total purchases, compared to 39 percent and 38.2 percent respectively in 2024, reports Al-Rai daily.
Individuals sold shares worth 9.8 billion dinars (about $30 billion) and bought shares worth 9.4 billion dinars (about $28.8 billion), resulting in net sales of approximately 367.2 million dinars (around $1.1 billion).
The client accounts (portfolios) sector ranked third, contributing 1.8 percent of total sales and 1.7 percent of total purchases, down from 3.1 percent for both categories in 2024. The sector sold shares worth 478.5 million dinars (about $1.4 billion) and bought shares worth 442 million dinars (about $1.3 billion), recording net sales of around 36.4 million dinars (approximately $111 million).
The investment funds sector remained the smallest contributor to market liquidity, representing 0.5 percent of both sales and purchases, slightly lower than 0.6 percent in 2024. The sector sold shares worth 129.8 million dinars (about $396 million) and bought shares worth 128.5 million dinars (about $392 million), resulting in marginal net sales of 1.2 million dinars (around $3.9 million).
The report stressed that the Kuwait Stock Exchange continues to be predominantly local in nature. Kuwaiti investors accounted for 87.2 percent of the total value of shares sold and 85.5 percent of the total value of shares purchased, compared to 84.8 percent and 83.9 percent respectively in 2024.
Kuwaiti investors sold shares worth 23.3 billion dinars (about $71.2 billion) and bought shares worth 22.8 billion dinars (around $69.8 billion), resulting in net sales of 460.7 million dinars (approximately $1.4 billion).
The share of other nationalities in total purchases stood at 12.9 percent, down from 14.6 percent, with purchases worth 3.4 billion dinars (about $10.5 billion), while their sales amounted to 2.9 billion dinars (around $8.9 billion), representing 10.19 percent of total sales.
Investors from GCC countries accounted for 1.9 percent of total sales and 1.6 percent of total purchases, with sales worth 505.8 million dinars (about $1.5 billion) and purchases worth 420.5 million dinars (around $1.2 billion), resulting in net sales of 85.3 million dinars (approximately $260 million).
The report noted a shift in the relative distribution of traders by nationality in 2025, with Kuwaitis accounting for 86.4 percent, other nationalities 11.9 percent, and GCC citizens 1.7 percent, compared to 84.4 percent, 13.8 percent and 1.8 percent respectively in 2024.
Al-Shall Consulting also highlighted strong growth in market participation, with the number of active trading accounts rising by 111.5 percent between the end of December 2024 and December 2025, compared to an increase of 18.7 percent in the previous year.
Active trading accounts reached 47,670 by the end of December 2025, representing 10.3 percent of total accounts, up from 45,802 accounts (9.9 percent) at the end of November 2025.
The report concluded that while foreign participation remains higher than that of GCC investors, the Kuwait Stock Exchange continues to be driven primarily by domestic investors.
