Boursa Kuwait has been recognised as the Middle East’s best stock exchange for 2025 at the inaugural Capital Markets Awards, hosted by Euromoney in partnership with the Arab Federation of Capital Markets (AFCM). The accolade acknowledges the exchange’s outstanding achievements in boosting liquidity and transparency, strengthening investor confidence, and adhering to the highest standards of governance and sustainability within Kuwait’s capital market.
The Capital Markets Awards expand Euromoney’s esteemed Awards for Excellence to honour a broader range of market participants, including securities exchanges and trading venues, brokerage firms and dealers—spanning bank-affiliated, independent, and agency institutions—as well as post-trade service providers.
Focused on celebrating excellence in market infrastructure and intermediary services, the evaluation process involves rigorous research encompassing institutional data submissions, expert interviews, and supplementary analysis. The final selections are determined by Euromoney’s internal judging committee.
Receiving the title of the Middle East’s best exchange marks a momentous milestone for Boursa Kuwait and serves as a global affirmation of its strategic vision to advance Kuwait’s capital market. It underscores the exchange’s ongoing dedication to enhancing transparency and liquidity, fortifying investor trust, and cementing its role as a key player in driving economic diversification and sustainable national growth.
Exceptional performance despite challenges in 2024
Boursa Kuwait was awarded the title of “Best Stock Exchange in the Middle East” in recognition of its outstanding achievements during 2024, the period on which the evaluation was based. A successfully privatized and self-listed exchange, the company delivered a strong financial performance that reflected its operational efficiency and institutional resilience, despite regional geopolitical tensions and rising global economic uncertainty.
The company continued to deliver outstanding performances across various key indicators, including exceptional net profits, growth in operating revenues, and an increase in operating profit, reinforcing its position as a pioneering institution with a clear vision and robust governance framework, one that places sustainable growth at the core of its strategy to build a more prosperous future for the market and all its participants.
In addition, the Kuwaiti capital market distinguished itself as one of the top performers in the region, supported by robust trading activity and increasing market capitalization, with key indices posting impressive returns and securing Kuwait a leading position among Gulf Cooperation Council markets.
Its robust operating model enabled it to strike a strategic balance between market liquidity depth and the diversification of investment opportunities, increasing the confidence of both institutional and retail investors in the strength of the Kuwaiti capital market.
Continuous development of market infrastructure
Boursa Kuwait continues to take a proactive approach to enhancing the Kuwaiti capital market. In collaboration with the Capital Markets Authority and other members of the capital market apparatus, the exchange launched the second part of Phase Three of its market development program (MD 3.2) in July.
MD 3.2 was focused on enhancing operational and regulatory infrastructure and included the implementation of the Central Counterparty (CCP) clearing and settlement framework, the completion of cash settlements through local banks and the Central Bank of Kuwait’s “KASSIP” system, and the upgrade of brokerage firms’ operating model to that of “Qualified Broker”.
In addition, the capital market apparatus is preparing to enable the listing and trading of fixed-income instruments, such as sukuk and bonds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) later this year, following the completion of all necessary technical preparations and infrastructure readiness.
Boursa Kuwait also announced a series of market mechanism enhancements, including the extension of trading hours, the adjustment of the closing auction mechanism, and the reduction of the random closing period. These changes are designed to align the Kuwaiti capital market with international standards as well as boost market efficiency and liquidity.
Leadership in governance and sustainability
Boursa Kuwait continues to embed the principles of good governance, sustainability and financial literacy at the core of its operations, fostering transparency and ensuring that investors have access to essential information.
In 2021, the exchange issued its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting Guide. Additionally, its in-house sustainability report was awarded the Best Sustainability and ESG Report award by the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) in 2023, recognizing the company’s leadership in governance and sustainability disclosures.
The exchange continues to support community and environmental initiatives, promote financial awareness and enhance education, underpinned by its institutional sustainability and corporate social responsibility strategies, which are aligned with many United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implemented through strategic partnerships with both local and international organizations to sponsor impactful programs and initiatives.
Through these efforts, Boursa Kuwait has strengthened its position as a responsible corporate citizen, a model issuer in the Kuwaiti capital market and a vital contributor to the national vision that aims to transform Kuwait into a leading regional financial and investment hub.