Institutional investors played a more significant role in Kuwait’s capital market during the first nine months of 2026, accounting for 70.08% of trading activity, up from 63.94% in the same period the previous year, representing a 6.14 percentage point increase. Individual investors made up the remaining 29.92% of trades.
International investors, including those from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, also increased their share, contributing 17.28% of the total traded value compared with 13.97% in 2025, a rise of 3.31 percentage points. Despite this growth, domestic investors continued to dominate the market, comprising 82.72% of trading activity.
These shifts highlight a growing presence of both institutional and international participants, while domestic investors remain the main contributors to Kuwait’s trading volumes. The evolving investor landscape underscores the need to cater to diverse investment strategies and transaction sizes. Institutional investors typically require comprehensive, reliable data and services tailored to their operational needs, whereas retail investors benefit from accessible information, clearer explanations of investment products, and greater awareness of their rights and responsibilities.
Boursa Kuwait, the country’s stock exchange operator, emphasized the importance of ongoing engagement with the investment community. Such interactions enable listed companies to better understand the priorities of asset managers and financial institutions, while also offering a platform to articulate their business models and strategic objectives. Improved dialogue on disclosure standards and investor relations practices helps investors make more informed decisions and enhances the market’s transparency and attractiveness to both domestic and international actors.
Mohammad Saud Al-Osaimi, Chief Executive Officer of Boursa Kuwait, said the exchange’s main operational goals focus on meeting the requirements of different market participants through efficient services, transparent procedures, and robust systems. He noted continuing coordination with partners to streamline market access, ensure effective utilization of services by issuers and brokers, and facilitate investor participation.
Al-Osaimi further stressed that engagement with institutional investors and asset managers is key to widening market involvement. Understanding their needs regarding services, information access, and market procedures remains a priority, alongside efforts to raise awareness of investment opportunities in Kuwait. These discussions help identify potential improvements and allow listed companies to interact directly with investors, strengthening communication about their business strategies.
As Kuwait’s capital market sees an increasing share of institutional and international investors alongside sustained domestic activity, stakeholders are working to enhance the overall investor experience and market transparency. This approach is intended to support more informed investment decisions and promote the development of a more robust and visible financial market.