Kuwait central bank cuts daily cash limit for exchange firms

The Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) has lowered the daily cash limit that exchange companies may accept from customers to KD 1,000, down from the previous cap of KD 3,000.

The decision, effective from February 2, 2026, applies to cash used for foreign remittances as well as currency buying and selling transactions.

Sources familiar with the matter said the move is aimed at reducing risks linked to cash-based activity, particularly in money transfers and foreign exchange dealings, Al-Rai daily reported.

The measure forms part of the Central Bannk of Kuwait’s (CBK) precautionary supervisory framework to tighten safeguards against money laundering and terrorist financing.

Under the directive, exchange companies are barred from accepting cash payments exceeding KD 1,000 — or its equivalent in foreign currency — from a single customer in one day to settle transaction values.

The sources stressed that the rule does not place any limit on the overall value of transfers or currency transactions. Instead, it applies solely to the cash component, with any amount above the threshold required to be settled through bank account debits or other CBK-approved electronic payment methods in Kuwait.

The move underscores the regulator’s broader drive to promote more transparent and traceable financial transactions while reducing reliance on large cash payments in Kuwait.