1.8 million valid credit cards in Kuwait

According to Ibrahim Ali, the number of valid credit cards in Kuwait reached approximately 1.8 million by the end of July 2026, indicating an expansion in the base of card usage with credit limits in the local market. Data from the Central Bank of Kuwait revealed that spending by citizens and residents via credit cards (Visa and Mastercard), which constitutes “credit-based” spending, amounted to approximately 2.498 billion dinars during the first seven months of 2026.

The figures reveal a notable intensity in the use of these cards, with approximately 123.8 million transactions executed between January and the end of July 2026. These transactions were distributed among purchases at point-of-sale (POS) terminals, electronic payments and purchases, as well as cash withdrawals from automated teller machines (ATMs).

Alongside the existing balance of valid cards, the issuance and renewal of approximately 252,000 credit cards were recorded during the first seven months of the year, reflecting the continued activity of this type of banking product and its growing presence among payment instruments used in the Kuwaiti market.

According to the spending distribution, direct purchases via POS terminals led credit card usage, with a value of approximately 1.3 billion dinars during the first seven months of 2026. These purchases were executed through approximately 80.63 million transactions, with an average of approximately 16.1 dinars per transaction.

These figures reflect the strong presence of credit cards in direct purchases within the local market, as they allow cardholders to make purchases using the credit limit granted by the bank, with the outstanding amounts settled according to the terms and conditions governing the card.

Electronic purchases and online service payments ranked second, accounting for approximately 888.7 million dinars of credit card spending during the first seven months of 2026. These payments were executed through approximately 41.42 million electronic transactions, with an average of approximately 21.5 dinars per transaction, demonstrating the extension of credit limit usage from traditional POS terminals to digital websites, applications, and platforms, which now account for a significant portion of cardholders’ transactions.

Cash withdrawals using credit cards amounted to approximately 293.4 million dinars during the same period, through approximately 1.76 million ATM withdrawals, with an average of approximately 166.7 dinars per transaction. Cash withdrawals differ from direct and electronic purchases, as the cardholder obtains cash from their available credit limit and repays the outstanding amounts to the bank according to the terms applicable to their card.

Thus, data from the first seven months of 2026 reveal widespread activity for credit cards in Kuwait, with approximately 1.8 million valid cards in circulation and 123.8 million transactions executed, totaling approximately 2.498 billion dinars, distributed among POS terminals, e-commerce, and cash withdrawals.