Boursa Kuwait judged top regional exchange by Euromoney

Boursa Kuwait has been named the Middle East’s best stock exchange for 2025 by Euromoney, reflecting strong gains in market performance, governance and infrastructure. The award forms part of the inaugural Euromoney Capital Markets Awards, presented in partnership with the Arab Federation of Capital Markets.

The exchange’s 2024 results underpin the decision: net profit reached KD 18.18 million—a 15.08 % year-on-year rise—while operating revenue climbed 18.36 % to KD 36.31 million and operating profit increased by 22.59 % to KD 22.40 million. These outcomes accompanied a 42.88 % surge in overall trading activity on the platform.

Euromoney’s assessment highlighted Boursa Kuwait’s success in enhancing liquidity, transparency and investor confidence across regional capital markets. The selection process combined participant-submitted data, expert interviews and independent research, with final awards determined by an internal committee.

Boursa Kuwait has moved aggressively on its market development agenda. In July, it rolled out Phase 3.2 of its development programme, which introduced a central counterparty clearing and settlement framework, local bank settlements via the "KASSIP" system run by the Central Bank of Kuwait, and upgraded broker operations toward a “Qualified Broker” standard. The exchange intends to permit listings and trading of sukuk, corporate bonds and exchange-traded funds later this year, contingent on technical and regulatory readiness.

Other recent reforms include extension of trading hours, adjustment to the closing auction mechanism, and reduction of the random closing period—all intended to bring the Kuwaiti market closer to international norms while boosting operational efficiency.

Corporate governance and sustainability form a central pillar of Boursa Kuwait’s appeal to stakeholders. It published an ESG Reporting Guide in 2021 and in 2023 its sustainability report was recognised by the Middle East Investor Relations Association. Its awards roster further cites recognition for sustainable corporate governance and community-sustaining initiatives.

Kuwait’s capital market has leveraged this institutional momentum to outperform several regional peers. Its index performance and market capitalisation have placed it among the faster-growing markets within the Gulf Cooperation Council bloc, reinforcing the exchange’s ambition to become a regional investment gateway.