Credit extended by Kuwaiti banks rose to 65.025 billion dinars by the end of July 2026, up 1.282 billion dinars, or 2 percent, from 63.742 billion at the end of December 2025, according to Central Bank of Kuwait data. On an annual basis, credit increased 6.4 percent, or 3.933 billion dinars, from 61.09 billion dinars in July 2025.
Personal loans rose 2.8 percent during the first seven months of the year to 20.595 billion dinars, an increase of 567.9 million dinars from 20.02 billion in December. Consumer loans, however, declined 1.57 percent, or 32.8 million dinars, to 2.044 billion.
Housing loans increased 3.8 percent, or 655 million dinars, to 17.932 billion dinars, while loans for private and model housing fell 13.5 percent, or 26.7 million dinars, to 171.5 million. Other facilities declined 5.8 percent to 447.9 million dinars.
Loans for purchasing securities rose 2.2 percent, or 108.2 million dinars, to 4.919 billion dinars, from 4.81 billion in December. They were also up 10.4 percent from 4.455 billion in July 2025.
Business and real estate credit rises
Loans to the oil and gas sector increased 10.2 percent, or 281.6 million dinars, to 3.045 billion dinars, compared with 2.76 billion in December. Real estate loans rose 3.66 percent, or 399.3 million dinars, to 11.306 billion dinars, while construction loans increased 6.25 percent, or 180.5 million dinars, to 3.065 billion.
Industrial loans recorded a 14.8 percent increase, or 418.7 million dinars, reaching 3.245 billion dinars, compared with 2.827 billion at the end of December. Loans granted to banks, meanwhile, declined 21 percent to 4.276 billion dinars.
Bank deposits climb 5.8 percent
Deposits in Kuwaiti banks rose 5.8 percent, or 3.479 billion dinars, during the first seven months of 2026 to 62.636 billion dinars, from 59.15 billion in December. On an annual basis, deposits increased 10.5 percent, or 5.97 billion dinars, from 56.66 billion in July 2025.
Government deposits recorded the sharpest increase, rising 46.3 percent, or 1.935 billion dinars, to 6.115 billion from 4.18 billion in December. They were also up 32.9 percent year-on-year, compared with 4.6 billion dinars in July 2025.
Deposits of public financial and non-financial institutions increased 9.4 percent, or 927 million dinars, to 10.736 billion dinars, compared with 9.809 billion in December. They were up 40 percent year-on-year from 7.64 billion.
Private-sector deposits rose 1.36 percent, or 615.8 million dinars, to 45.783 billion dinars, from 45.167 billion in December. They increased 3 percent, or 1.36 billion dinars, from 44.423 billion a year earlier.
Bank assets exceed 104 billion dinars
Bank assets increased 2.31 percent, or 2.315 billion dinars, to 104.3 billion dinars in July, compared with 101.985 billion in December. On an annual basis, assets rose 5.66 percent, or about 5.587 billion dinars, from 98.717 billion. Foreign assets increased 4.1 percent to 34.12 billion dinars, while foreign liabilities to the private sector declined 3.7 percent to 17.194 billion. As a result, net foreign assets rose 13.5 percent to 16.924 billion dinars, from 14.961 billion.
Bank shareholders’ equity increased 0.3 percent, or 56.1 million dinars, to 17.88 billion dinars, from 17.828 billion in December. It was also up 3.8 percent from 17.225 billion in July 2025.
Digital payments surge
Citizens and residents spent about 32.77 billion dinars through 953.5 million withdrawal transactions during the first seven months of 2026. Spending through points of sale reached 11.102 billion dinars across 594.424 million transactions. ATM cash withdrawals amounted to 5.073 billion dinars through 37.343 million transactions, while online transactions reached 9.97 billion dinars through 219.775 million transactions.
Transactions through the instant payment service “Wamd” increased 49.6 percent during the first seven months, reaching 6.625 billion dinars through 101.99 million transactions, compared with 4.427 billion dinars and 58.05 million transactions during the same period last year.
Kuwait’s reserve assets fall to 10.66 billion dinars
Kuwait’s reserve assets stood at 10.66 billion dinars ($34.6 billion) in July, down from 13.27 billion dinars ($43.07 billion) in July 2025.
They declined 4.05 percent from 11.11 billion dinars in June and were down 14.51 percent from 12.47 billion dinars at the end of December 2025.
