General Trading: Most Active Commercial Sector in Kuwait
Kuwait officials: The commercial licenses issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry during the first half of 2026 reveal a clear investment concentration, reflecting the fruits of streamlining government procedures and the shift toward economic diversification. Four main activities dominated approximately 854 licenses for natural and legal person companies.
While the general trade and related services sector topped investors’ choices with a share of 63.58%, accounting for 543 licenses, the accommodation and food services, simple crafts (maintenance and repair services), and textile, apparel, and leather manufacturing sectors emerged as promising pillars supporting the resilience and competitiveness of the local market.
In detail, recent statistics issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry showed that licenses were concentrated in four main activities: general trade and related services; textile, apparel, and leather manufacturing; maintenance and repair services (simple crafts); and accommodation, food, and related services.
Reviewing the data on commercial licenses related to these activities revealed that their total number reached approximately 854 licenses for natural and legal person companies during the first half of the current year.
General trade and related services activities ranked first among these licenses, with 543 licenses out of the total issued, representing 63.58% of all licenses issued. This was followed by accommodation and food services and related activities, which totaled 109 licenses, or 12.76%, then maintenance and repair services (simple crafts) activities, with a total of 103 licenses and a share of 12%, and finally textile, apparel, and leather manufacturing activities, which numbered 99 licenses, representing 11.59% of the total licenses issued.
In a related development, statistics showed that the total number of companies established during the first half of the current year reached 15,737 companies, distributed between individual companies and free trade companies, while the total number of licenses issued to these companies reached approximately 28,510 licenses.
Data from the Kuwait Business Center revealed that the total number of approved applications after review for individual companies during the first half of the current year reached 10,311 applications, while the total number of licenses issued to these companies reached 23,017 licenses.
As for the total number of approved applications after review for free trade companies during the first five months of the year, it reached 5,426 applications, while the total number of licenses issued to these companies reached approximately 5,493 licenses.
June witnessed the highest number of issued licenses in terms of individual companies and free trade companies during the first half of the year, with 5,295 licenses, including 4,323 licenses for individual companies and 972 licenses for free trade companies. This was followed by February, with 5,064 licenses, including 3,958 licenses for individual companies and 1,106 licenses for free trade companies. April followed, witnessing the issuance of 4,893 licenses, including 3,830 licenses for individual companies and 1,063 licenses for free trade companies.
January witnessed the issuance of 4,133 licenses, including 3,471 licenses for individual companies and 662 licenses for free trade companies. March witnessed the issuance of 4,692 licenses, including 3,874 licenses for individual companies and 818 licenses for free trade companies. May witnessed the issuance of 4,433 licenses, including 3,561 licenses for individual companies and 872 licenses for free trade companies.
