Kuwait steps up anti–money laundering crackdown, hundreds of violations recorded in 2025
The jewelry sector accounted for 544 violations, including 517 warnings, 15 financial fines, and 12 compliance orders. Meanwhile, the real estate brokerage sector recorded 386 violations, consisting of 370 warnings, 9 fines, and 7 compliance orders.
The Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Marwa Al-Jaidan, announced efforts are ongoing to combat money laundering and terrorist financing to safeguard the national economy and strengthen investor confidence in Kuwait’s market.
Speaking to KUNA, she said the ministry is continuously upgrading its monitoring systems by improving risk assessment, updating classification procedures, and enhancing coordination with relevant authorities to ensure faster detection of violations and stronger enforcement of compliance measures.
She referred to the Ministerial Resolution No. (25) which was issued in March 2026, to regulate new violations and penalties matrix for designated non-financial businesses and professions involved in anti–money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.
Al-Jaidan highlighted that high-risk violations include severe offenses such as dealing with sanctioned individuals or failing to report suspicious transactions, while medium and low-risk cases carry progressively scaled penalties to ensure proportional enforcement.
According to the ministry’s 2025 report, a total of 930 violations were recorded across key sectors, mainly in jewelry and real estate brokerage activities, reflecting strengthened oversight and risk-based monitoring systems.
The jewelry sector accounted for 544 violations, including 517 warnings, 15 financial fines, and 12 compliance orders. Meanwhile, the real estate brokerage sector recorded 386 violations, consisting of 370 warnings, 9 fines, and 7 compliance orders.
Al-Jaidan emphasized that these results reflect an integrated oversight strategy built on risk analysis, expanded monitoring, and continuous awareness efforts, reinforcing Kuwait’s commitment to a transparent, compliant, and investment-friendly financial environment.
