Kuwait’s overseas assets rise 6.6% to 76.78 billion dinars by end March 2026

Overall overseas assets growth

In the first quarter of 2026, Kuwait’s total foreign assets expanded by 6.6 percent, reaching 76.782 billion dinars, up from 72.035 billion dinars in the same period of 2025, according to the Central Bank of Kuwait. The absolute increase amounted to 4.746 billion dinars. This rise was driven by gains in direct investment abroad, foreign securities holdings, financial derivatives and other investment categories, which together more than compensated for a fall in the country’s foreign reserve assets.

Direct investment abroad

Details of Kuwait’s international investment position show that direct investment abroad grew by 4 percent to 18.373 billion dinars, compared with 17.67 billion dinars a year earlier. Within this segment, equity investments totalled 17.727 billion dinars, reflecting a 3.6 percent increase or an addition of 621.1 million dinars. Debt‑instrument holdings rose by 14.3 percent to approximately 646 million dinars, up from 564.9 million dinars in the first quarter of 2025. Breaking down the equity side, local banks’ overseas equity positions climbed by 10.4 percent to 9.921 billion dinars, whereas the combined holdings of other sectors — including investment, insurance, finance, exchange and investment‑fund companies — fell by 3.8 percent, a reduction of 313.5 million dinars.

Securities portfolios, derivatives and other investments

Foreign securities portfolios increased by 3.7 percent, or 365 million dinars, to 10.126 billion dinars, compared with 9.76 billion dinars a year earlier. Equity holdings within the portfolio rose by 7 percent to 3.473 billion dinars, while debt‑instrument holdings grew by 2.1 percent to 6.653 billion dinars, up from 6.516 billion dinars. Investments in financial derivatives recorded stronger growth, rising by 12.5 percent to 6.675 billion dinars from 5.93 billion dinars. Local banks held the bulk of this category, with positions worth about 6.66 billion dinars, an increase of roughly 745 million dinars; other sectors accounted for just 8.1 million dinars. Other investments abroad expanded by 19.8 percent to 29.294 billion dinars, compared with 24.444 billion dinars in the first quarter of 2025. Currency and deposits formed the largest component, jumping by 36.4 percent to 15.312 billion dinars — an increase of approximately 4.09 billion dinars. Loans also grew, rising by 8.9 percent to 12.13 billion dinars from 11.132 billion dinars a year earlier. Smaller items included insurance and guarantee programmes, which totalled about 1.7 million dinars after a 6.25 percent rise, and trade credit, which declined by 19.3 percent to 1.213 billion dinars from roughly 1.5 billion dinars.

Foreign reserves and inbound investment

Despite the growth in the categories above, Kuwait’s foreign reserve assets contracted by 13.4 percent to 12.312 billion dinars, down from 14.226 billion dinars. The reserve breakdown shows 31.7 million dinars in monetary gold, 1.358 billion dinars in special drawing rights, 220 million dinars in the reserve position with the International Monetary Fund, and 10.702 billion dinars in other reserve assets. Turning to inbound flows, foreign direct investment in Kuwait rose by 3.6 percent, or 190.2 million dinars, to 5.357 billion dinars, compared with 5.167 billion dinars in the first quarter of 2025. Equity made up the majority of this inflow, reaching 5.341 billion dinars after a 4 percent increase, while debt‑instrument investment stood at about 16.3 million dinars. Foreign portfolio investment in Kuwait surged even more sharply, climbing by 136.5 percent to 9.737 billion dinars from 4.116 billion dinars a year earlier. Equity portfolio holdings rose by 116.7 percent to 1.953 billion dinars, and debt‑instrument holdings increased by 142 percent to 7.783 billion dinars. The data therefore illustrate contrasting movements in Kuwait’s international investment position during the quarter: total overseas assets and foreign investment in the domestic market both rose, whereas the country’s foreign reserve assets fell.