Foreign ownership of companies listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange rose to 7.7 billion dinars by the end of the first half of 2026, up 10 percent from about 7 billion dinars recorded last September, underscoring the continued presence of international investment in the Kuwaiti market.
The total market value of direct ownership in listed companies reached about 53 billion dinars at the end of the first half, with Kuwaiti investors accounting for the bulk of holdings at 45.3 billion dinars, or about 85.5 percent of the market. Foreign ownership represented approximately 14.5 percent of the total market value. Compared with the end of 2024, when foreign holdings stood at 5.3 billion dinars, the value has increased by more than 44 percent.
Institutional investors accounted for around 70 percent of total market activity, while individual investors represented about 30 percent. Investment flows into the market came from around 100 nationalities, reflecting the breadth of its international investor base. US investment entities and their affiliated islands ranked first among foreign investors, with combined holdings of about 2.76 billion dinars, equivalent to 5.2 percent of the market’s total value.
Qatar ranked second globally and first among Gulf countries, with investments of 855 million dinars. The United Kingdom and its dependencies followed with 666 million dinars, representing 1.2 percent of the market, while Bahrain ranked next with 653 million dinars.
Ireland accounted for about 398 million dinars, followed by the UAE with around 325 million, Switzerland with nearly 292 million, Norway with 205 million, Singapore with about 203 million, Japan with 170 million and Luxembourg with more than 158 million. Saudi Arabia accounted for approximately 119 million dinars, while Oman recorded more than 72 million.
The market’s investment appeal was attributed in the report to Kuwait’s monetary and financial stability, including the dinar’s exchange-rate stability through its peg to a weighted basket of currencies. The Kuwait Stock Exchange’s continued participation in periodic reviews of major global emerging-market indices, including MSCI, FTSE Russell, S&P and Dow Jones, was also cited as a factor supporting institutional investment flows and liquidity.
The report also highlighted the development of the trading environment and regulatory framework in cooperation with the Capital Markets Authority and the Kuwait Stock Exchange, alongside the financial strength and profitability of leading listed companies, particularly banks.
