Not legal advice. We are a measurement tool — not a broker, not a
financial adviser, not a legal authority. What follows is general
information about the regulators and what they publish, with links to
their own sites. Rules change, and this page is not enough to judge the
legality of a specific case or product. For your own situation, ask the
regulator directly or a qualified lawyer in Kuwait.
Scope of this page: trading currencies through a broker (spot forex or CFDs on currencies). The Capital Markets Authority covers securities activities; the Central Bank of Kuwait the banking and financial activities it supervises. Which of them covers a specific product is a question to put to them.
The short answer
The Capital Markets Authority, established by Law No. 7 of 2010, publishes a list of websites not licensed to carry out securities activities in Kuwait — more than a hundred entries, mostly X (Twitter) accounts, then websites and Instagram accounts — alongside its list of licensed companies and their activities.
The Central Bank of Kuwait set up a phone line and email address in October 2025 to receive reports of unlicensed banking or financial activity.
What we did not find as of the review date: an official Kuwaiti statement that names forex. So this page attributes no position on it to the Kuwaiti authorities. The practical question is whether the firm offering you trading is licensed in Kuwait for what it offers — ask the CMA or the CBK which of them covers it.
The authorities in Kuwait — and what each one publishes
Securities
Capital Markets Authority (CMA)
Established under Law No. 7 of 2010 regarding the establishment of the Capital Markets Authority and regulating securities activity. Publishes the licensed-companies list with activities, the unlicensed-websites list, the list of persons restricted from securities activities, and a reports and complaints hub.
Banking
Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK)
Supervises entities including banks and finance, investment and exchange companies. On 7 October 2025 it announced a channel for the public to report unlicensed banking or financial activity.
What the official documents say, in summary — each card links its source
The list
Websites not licensed for securities activities in Kuwait
A table of name, web address and platform — mostly X (Twitter) accounts, then websites and Instagram accounts, with a few on Facebook, YouTube, Telegram and others. The CMA states that the list does not include all non-licensed companies and entities, and that it takes legal measures against them under Article (126) of Law No. 7 of 2010.
Source: cma.gov.kw — unlicensed entities
Removal
How names leave the list
An entity on the list may approach the CMA and pledge not to repeat the violation, and the CMA may consider removing its name. A name missing today is not proof it was never listed — or that it is licensed.
Source: cma.gov.kw — unlicensed entities
Licensed
Licensed companies, listed by activity
Each company appears with its licensed activities, such as securities broker, portfolio manager or investment adviser. A licence is tied to the activity written next to the name — not a general certificate for everything a firm offers.
Source: cma.gov.kw — licensed companies
Central bank
Reporting channel — 7 October 2025
The CBK set up phone 22972999 and unlicensed@cbk.gov.kw to receive reports from the public about unlicensed banking or financial activities.
Source: cbk.gov.kw — press release
How to check in five minutes — the Kuwait steps
1
Search the unlicensed-websites list first
By name, web address and social account together; most of the list is X and Instagram accounts, not only websites. A name on the list is reason enough to stop.
2
Then look for the firm among licensed companies
By the full legal name in the client agreement, not the brand in the advert.
3
Match the activity, not just the name
A firm licensed as an investment adviser is not necessarily licensed for what you are being offered. The activity is written next to its name — and as of 25 September 2026 no activity on the list mentions forex or currencies.
4
If the lists don't answer, ask the CMA
For questions, the CMA contact page (phone 1888898); to report a violation, the reports and complaints hub.
5
Match the account you will pay
If the beneficiary differs from the entity you contracted with, stop. For unlicensed financial activity, the CBK line is 22972999.
Things people confuse
Mix-up
The standing committee on forex warnings is Saudi, not Kuwaiti
Arabic search results mix them up: the "Permanent Committee for Awareness and Warning against unlicensed Forex activity" is chaired by Saudi Arabia's CMA — see the Saudi page and the committee statement linked there. Do not attribute its statements to Kuwait.
Mix-up
Absence from the list is not a licence
The CMA says the list is not complete and names can be removed after a pledge. What counts is presence in the licensed-companies list for the activity you need.
Mix-up
An X or Instagram account is not a firm
Most of the list is social media accounts. Whoever runs the account is who you would actually deal with — verification badges and follower counts are not licences.
A licence is not a guarantee of profit. A licence says who may
offer a particular activity and under what supervision. It has nothing
to do with whether you make or lose money. Trading currencies with
leverage risks your capital, at a licensed broker and an unlicensed one
alike.
Where we stand in this
BasketGo is not a broker. It opens no accounts, holds no money,
recommends no broker and takes no commission from any. It is a
measurement tool: we compute the strength of the eight majors from 28
pairs and publish the numbers as they are — measurement, not advice.
Choosing a broker and checking its licence is your decision; this page
exists to make that easier, not to steer it.
Frequently asked questions
Is forex trading legal in Kuwait?
As of this page's review date we found no official Kuwaiti statement that names forex, so we attribute no position on it to the Kuwaiti authorities. The CMA publishes a list of companies licensed for securities activities and a list of unlicensed websites; the Central Bank runs a channel for reporting unlicensed financial activity. The practical answer is to look up the firm you are dealing with and ask the CMA if in doubt. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do I check that a firm is licensed by the CMA?
Find it on the licensed-companies page at cma.gov.kw and match its legal name and the activity listed next to it. Then search the unlicensed-websites list by name and web address.
I can't find the firm on either list — what does that mean?
Not being on the licensed list means you have not verified its licence; not being on the unlicensed list proves nothing, because the CMA says that list does not include every entity. The next step is to ask the CMA (1888898), not to deposit.
Where do I report an unlicensed firm?
For securities activities: the CMA reports and complaints hub. For unlicensed banking or financial activity: the Central Bank of Kuwait on 22972999 or unlicensed@cbk.gov.kw.
Does a licence mean trading is safe or profitable?
No. A licence says who may offer a particular activity and under what supervision. It has nothing to do with whether you make or lose money. Trading currencies with leverage risks your capital, at a licensed broker and an unlicensed one alike.
Where does BasketGo stand in this?
We are not a broker. We open no accounts, hold no money, recommend no broker and take no commission from any. We publish measurements of currency movement, which is why this page points at official registers rather than at a list of firms.
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