Lending interest rate in Kuwait
Kuwait: Lending interest rate was 5.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Lending interest rate in Kuwait, 1979–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, lending interest rate in Kuwait stood at 5.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and up 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lending interest rate in Kuwait peaked at 9.4% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2021.
That places Kuwait 125th out of 149 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 47 years of available data.
Lending interest rate in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 5.9% | — |
| 1980 | 6.8% | +16.1% |
| 1981 | 9.3% | +36.4% |
| 1982 | 9.4% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 8.4% | -11.0% |
| 1984 | 8.6% | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 8.7% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 8.6% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 7.9% | -8.9% |
| 1988 | 6.7% | -14.5% |
| 1989 | 8.4% | +24.6% |
| 1990 | 8.7% | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 8.6% | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 8.0% | -7.2% |
| 1993 | 8.0% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 7.6% | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 8.4% | +10.0% |
| 1996 | 8.8% | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 8.8% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 8.9% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 8.6% | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 8.9% | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 7.9% | -11.1% |
| 2002 | 6.5% | -17.8% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | -16.4% |
| 2004 | 5.6% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 7.5% | +33.0% |
| 2006 | 8.6% | +14.4% |
| 2007 | 8.5% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | -10.8% |
| 2009 | 6.2% | -19.1% |
| 2010 | 5.4% | -12.0% |
| 2011 | 5.2% | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 5.0% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 4.6% | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 4.3% | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 4.3% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 4.5% | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 4.7% | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 4.8% | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 4.8% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 4.1% | -14.0% |
| 2021 | 3.7% | -10.5% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | +25.9% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | +4.9% |
| 2025 | 5.0% | -2.7% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 5.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.2%, 97% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 5.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 8.0%, 63% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1 |
| 1980s | 8.3% | 6.7% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.4% | 7.6% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.3% | 5.4% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More financial sector data for Kuwait
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 11.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0044 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 142.41 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 5.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0032 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 103.99 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 11.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0044 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 142.41 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 5.86 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lending interest rate in Kuwait?
- Lending interest rate in Kuwait was 5.0% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest lending interest rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 9.4% in 1982.
- What is the lowest lending interest rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2021.
- How does Kuwait rank for lending interest rate?
- Kuwait ranks 125th out of 149 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lending interest rate rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Lending interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Lending rate is the bank rate that usually meets the short- and medium-term financing needs of the private sector. This rate is normally differentiated according to creditworthiness of borrowers and objectives of financing. The terms and conditions attached to these rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability.