QCB Says Himyan Card Can be Used in Kuwait

The Qatar Central Bank has announced that holders of the national payment card Himyan can now use their cards for purchase transactions and cash withdrawals in Kuwait, expanding the cross-border utility of Qatar's domestic card scheme.

The expansion enables Himyan cardholders travelling to or operating in Kuwait to use their cards at merchant terminals and ATMs, eliminating the need to carry separate international cards for transactions in the neighbouring Gulf state. The cross-border functionality operates through an agreement between the payment infrastructure operators of both countries.

The Himyan card scheme was launched by the Qatar Central Bank as part of the country's payment infrastructure modernisation programme, processing domestic transactions through local infrastructure rather than international card networks. The Kuwait expansion extends this capability across borders while maintaining the scheme's core value proposition.

Cross-border card acceptance between Gulf states addresses a practical need given the high volume of business and personal travel between GCC countries. The ability to use domestic cards in neighbouring markets reduces reliance on international card networks for regional transactions and can offer lower transaction costs.

The Qatar-Kuwait card acceptance agreement follows a broader pattern of Gulf states building bilateral connections between their domestic payment systems. Saudi Arabia's mada, the UAE's Jaywan, and Oman's Maal schemes have all been developing cross-border acceptance as part of their expansion strategies.

The QCB said it plans to extend Himyan's cross-border acceptance to additional GCC markets.