Kuwait to Retire the Capital Markets Court: Decree-Law 91/2026 Moves Securities Disputes to the Economic Circuits

Kuwait has issued Decree-Law No. 91 of 2026 amending Law No. 7 of 2010 on the Establishment of the Capital Markets Authority, published in Kuwait Al-Youm Issue 1809 on Sunday 20 September 2026. The amendment repeals the seven articles that created the Capital Markets Court, Articles 108 to 113 and 116, and redefines where securities disputes will be heard.

Under the new text, the competent court for civil, commercial and administrative disputes arising from the CMA Law becomes the Economic Circuits established by Decree-Law No. 88 of 2026, which WEFAQ covered when it was gazetted on 13 September. Criminal offences under the CMA Law move to the ordinary criminal courts under the general rules of the Criminal Procedure Law. The definition of the competent minister also changes: instead of naming the Minister of Commerce and Industry, the law now refers to whichever minister the Cabinet designates, matching Decree 130/2026, which placed the CMA under the Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment.

The timing is tied to the Economic Circuits law, so the changes take effect on 1 October 2027. Until then the Capital Markets Court operates as usual, and cases and appeals pending before it on that date will stay with it until they are decided. Only new filings from that date go to the new track.

WEFAQ's view: this completes the court side of the 2026 restructuring. Decree-Law 88/2026 built the new forum, and Decree-Law 91/2026 formally hands securities litigation to it. Nothing changes for litigants for the next year, but any dispute expected to be filed around late 2027 should now be planned with the transition date in mind.

Read more: for the full analysis, read our companion blog article: 'The Capital Markets Court Is Being Retired: What Decree-Law 91/2026 Means for Issuers, Brokers and Investors'.