Kuwaiti banks hold nine spots in FirstBank’s Arab top 100

Nine Kuwaiti banks featured in FirstBank’s ranking of the 100 largest Arab banks at end-March 2026, with combined assets of about USD 459.87 billion, accounting for around 9 per cent of the total assets of banks included in the ranking.

Kuwaiti banks showed relatively limited movement in the ranking during Q1 2026. Three banks retained their positions, five moved by one place either up or down, while one bank recorded the largest shift, falling three places.

National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) remained eighth among Arab banks, with assets rising by 1.4 per cent quarter-on-quarter to USD 150.17 billion at end-March 2026, from USD 148.14 billion at end-2025.

Kuwait's Boubyan Bank also retained its position at 35th, as assets increased by 1.8 per cent to USD 33.74 billion from USD 33.13 billion over the same period.

Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) remained 45th, with assets rising by 5.5 per cent during Q1 2026 to USD 23.74 billion at end-March, from USD 22.49 billion at end-2025.

Five other Kuwaiti banks moved by one place in the ranking during the quarter.

Kuwait Finance House (KFH) fell to 10th at end-March 2026 from ninth at end-2025, despite a 2.2 per cent increase in assets to USD 141.87 billion from USD 138.88 billion.

Burgan Bank moved up to 38th from 39th after its assets rose by 5.1 per cent during Q1 2026 to USD 31.05 billion, from USD 29.55 billion at end-2025.

Gulf Bank advanced to 41st from 42nd, with assets rising by 4.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter to USD 26.18 billion from USD 25.01 billion.

Warba Bank climbed to 47th from 48th as assets increased by 2 per cent to USD 19.97 billion from USD 19.58 billion.

Commercial Bank of Kuwait moved up to 53rd from 54th after its assets rose by 4.9 per cent during Q1 2026 to USD 18.27 billion from USD 17.42 billion.

Kuwait International Bank (KIB) recorded the largest decline among the Kuwaiti banks in the ranking, falling three places to 63rd at end-March 2026 from 60th at end-2025.

The decline came as the bank’s assets fell by about 1.2 per cent during Q1 2026 to USD 14.89 billion, from USD 15.07 billion at end-2025.