Consumers in Kuwait spent approximately 786.4 million dinars on purchases from foreign websites and online stores during the first seven months of 2026, according to official data from the Central Bank of Kuwait. This spending averaged about 3.7 million dinars per day across the 212-day period from January through July.
The overseas e-commerce spending represented approximately 46.4% of the total value of all payment transactions conducted outside Kuwait during this timeframe, which amounted to about 1.695 billion dinars overall.
July was the strongest month for international online shopping, with transactions through foreign websites reaching approximately 134.6 million dinars—the highest value recorded during the seven-month period.
Credit cards dominated overseas online purchases, accounting for approximately 512 million dinars in spending, compared with 274.4 million dinars through debit cards. This means credit cards represented around 65.1% of total foreign e-commerce purchases, while debit cards accounted for the remaining 34.9%.
The scale of online shopping activity was substantial in terms of transaction volume as well. Approximately 33.85 million transactions were carried out through foreign websites during the first seven months of 2026, equivalent to an average of about 160,000 transactions per day.
When calculated across all spending and transactions, the average value of an individual overseas online purchase was approximately 23.2 dinars during the period.
What This Means for Expats: These figures show that online shopping from international retailers is a major spending category for Kuwait’s resident population. Whether you’re using credit or debit cards for purchases from foreign e-commerce platforms, you’re part of a significant trend—with nearly 34 million transactions recorded in just seven months, international online shopping is deeply embedded in Kuwait’s consumer habits.
Source: Times of Kuwait
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