The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has shut down a health institute in Kuwait this week after inspectors working with the Ministry of Interior identified violations of Ministerial Resolution No. (32) of 2026 that prohibits cash transactions for certain activities. The facility was also found to have committed other operational offences during the inspection, according to a ministry statement. All legal procedures were completed before the immediate closure took effect.
The ministry’s statement detailed how the inspection team documented the acceptance of cash payments despite the clear terms of the resolution issued earlier in 2026. This resolution applies to specific commercial and service sectors with the aim of shifting toward electronic payment methods. A Central Bank of Kuwait report from last year placed the growth of electronic payments in the country at more than 25 percent year on year since the pandemic began.
Coordination between the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Interior ensured the shutdown proceeded without incident once violations were confirmed. The ministry statement noted that inspectors hold authority to take such steps when entities fail to meet regulatory thresholds on payment methods. Similar enforcement actions have targeted non-compliant businesses in the private health sector throughout the current fiscal year.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry figures show that payment regulation compliance checks form a regular part of its market oversight mandate. The resolution in question specifically lists health institutes among the categories required to adopt cashless systems for listed transactions. Data from the same ministry indicate that awareness campaigns preceded the stricter enforcement phase that began in January 2026.
The statement further explained that the combination of the cash violation and the separate operational breaches left no alternative to full closure under existing commercial law. Officials documented each offence on site before notifying the relevant parties. Kuwait has maintained a steady regulatory push toward digital financial infrastructure since the 2020 introduction of its national e-payment strategy.
Additional operational offences cited in the ministry statement were not itemised in the announcement but contributed directly to the final decision. The ministry has conducted parallel campaigns across retail, training and medical facilities to align them with updated standards. Public Authority for Industry data from the first half of 2026 lists improved payment traceability as a core performance metric for the current enforcement cycle.
