Kuwait's spending reaches 27.92 billion dinars in six months

Total spending by citizens and residents in Kuwait reached approximately 27.92 billion dinars during the first six months of 2026. According to the monthly statistics issued by the Central Bank of Kuwait, spending by citizens and residents inside and outside Kuwait via point-of-sale (POS) terminals (direct purchase transactions) amounted to about 9.46 billion dinars between January and the end of June 2026. Transactions via automated teller machines (ATMs) (cash withdrawals) totaled approximately 4.36 billion dinars during the first six months of 2026, while spending via e-commerce websites reached 8.53 billion dinars during the same period. Additionally, total transfers via the Wampad service amounted to approximately 5.55 billion dinars.

Government deposits in local banks grew by 27.65% to 5.91 billion dinars, compared to 4.63 billion dinars in the same month of 2025, representing a 4.79% monthly increase. According to the Central Bank of Kuwait’s statistical bulletin at the end of June, customer deposits—both resident and non-resident—in commercial banks operating in Kuwait rose by 11.33% year-on-year and 0.65% month-on-month at the end of June 2026. Customer deposits reached 62.29 billion dinars at the end of last month, compared to 55.95 billion dinars at the end of June 2025, and 61.89 billion dinars at the end of May 2026.

In a related development, customer deposits in Kuwaiti banks increased by 5.29% compared to their value at the end of 2025, which stood at 59.16 billion dinars. According to the Central Bank of Kuwait’s monetary bulletin, deposits in June 2026 were divided into 56.16 billion dinars for residents and 6.13 billion dinars for non-residents.

The annual growth in deposits was supported by a 4.27% increase in private sector deposits at the end of June 2026 to 45.65 billion dinars, compared to 43.78 billion dinars at the end of the same month last year, although they decreased by 0.31% on a monthly basis. Housing loans also recorded a monthly increase, reaching 17.57 billion dinars, an increase of 110 million dinars from their May level. The year-to-date increase stood at 590 million dinars, while the increase compared to June of the previous year reached 830 million dinars.

Consumer loans recorded a slight increase in June, reaching 2.04 billion dinars. However, they declined slightly since the beginning of the year, while remaining stable on a year-on-year basis compared to their level in June of the previous year. Total loans for purchasing securities (stocks) rose by approximately 2.8% in June compared to their May level, reaching 5.05 billion dinars. They increased by 4.5% during the first six months of the current year and by 13.5% on a year-on-year basis.

Reserve assets stood at 11.11 billion dinars at the end of June, compared to 14.38 billion dinars at the end of June 2025, representing a year-on-year decline of 22.74%, valued at 3.27 billion dinars. Consequently, reserve assets fell by approximately 6.64% from their level at the end of May 2026, which was 11.90 billion dinars. Furthermore, reserve assets declined by 10.91%, or 1.36 billion dinars, during the first half of the current year, having stood at 12.47 billion dinars at the end of 2025.

M2 money supply recorded 42.74 billion dinars in the aforementioned month, compared to 42.03 billion dinars in June 2025. Compared to its level in May 2026, which was 42.95 billion dinars, local liquidity declined by approximately 0.49%. The value of currency in circulation during last June was 2.08 billion dinars, a decrease of 1.42% from its level in the same month of 2025, which was 2.11 billion dinars, and it fell by 5.85% on a monthly basis.