KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: Several electronic payment service providers have notified the commercial companies contracted with them of a Central Bank directive prohibiting the imposition of any additional fees on consumers for using electronic payment methods. In official notices sent to their partner businesses, the payment companies said the measure complies with instructions issued by the Central Bank of Kuwait on September 30, 2025, under Circular No. 2/RBA/600/2025.

The circular explicitly bans merchants from charging consumers within Kuwait any extra fees or amounts for the use of debit or credit cards when making payments through electronic payment services. This prohibition applies across all payment channels, including point-of-sale terminals, payment gateways, electronic wallets, and other digital payment methods, regardless of the technology used.

Payment service providers emphasized the need for full compliance with the directive and warned that violations could lead to legal liability. They also noted that agreements between payment service providers, licensed commercial entities, and service users have been updated to reflect the new requirements.

The Central Bank of Kuwait has circulated the directive to all local banks, electronic payment service providers, and electronic money institutions, reaffirming the ban on collecting fees or commissions from end-user customers within Kuwait for payments made using KNET debit cards or credit cards. The Central Bank further instructed relevant entities to update their contractual agreements accordingly, warning that services may be suspended for institutions found to be in violation of the regulations.