Qatar Central Bank has released its annual report for 2025, outlining monetary, financial and institutional developments and highlighting initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience and inclusiveness of the financial sector and enhancing the bank’s regulatory and supervisory capabilities.
The report showed that QCB reduced its key interest rates by a combined 75 basis points during 2025 in line with monetary policy requirements and domestic economic conditions.
According to the report, the impact of the reductions was transmitted fully and immediately to the average overnight rate in the interbank market, reflecting the effectiveness of the monetary policy transmission mechanism.
QCB also continued to strengthen financial stability through proactive supervision, forward-looking risk assessments and expanded stress testing, alongside closer monitoring of geopolitical developments. The banking sector maintained capital and liquidity buffers above regulatory requirements.
Official reserves rose to QAR 202.2 billion at the end of 2025, strengthening the country’s external buffers.
The share of gold in the reserve portfolio increased from 7.9% at the end of 2021 to 28.9% at the end of 2025, while reserve coverage of currency issued stood at 995.4%.
QCB also expanded its supervisory activities during the year, conducting 15 on-site reviews covering all eight Qatari national banks under its new risk-based methodology, alongside 84 special inspection missions.
Under the Third Financial Sector Strategy, QCB led 153 of the 283 projects included in the strategy. Across the strategy as a whole, 111 projects were successfully completed during its third year of implementation.
The report also highlighted growth in payment and settlement systems. The Qatar Automated Real-Time Gross Settlement System, QA-RTGS, settled around 497,000 high-value transactions worth QAR 10.26 trillion.
The system’s services were expanded to include foreign currency transfers, allowing banks to transfer and settle US dollar transactions locally through their accounts with QCB.
In fintech, the number of entities licensed by QCB rose to 14, while 10 key regulations were published under the Fintech Strategy.
QCB’s sandbox programmes attracted more than 90 applications, with six companies accepted across the regulatory and accelerator tracks.
As part of efforts to deepen capital markets, QCB launched the second phase of the Primary Dealers Framework and conducted the first auction under the framework on August 24, 2025.
Total government bond and sukuk issuance reached QAR 23.3 billion during the year, while the outstanding balance stood at QAR 121.4 billion at the end of 2025.
The report also highlighted investment in human capital. QCB delivered 104 specialised training programmes for its employees and professionals working across financial-sector institutions, with 4,664 participants taking part.
The bank also institutionalised its QCB-led learning platform and approved formal recruitment standards.
--
About Qatar Living:
Since 2005, Qatar Living has been the trusted destination for everything Qatar. As the country's largest online community and marketplace, Qatar Living connects people with opportunities through jobs, property, vehicles, services, classifieds, events, local insights, and breaking news. Trusted by residents, newcomers, visitors, and businesses alike, Qatar Living brings Qatar together in one place.
Instagram - @qatarliving
X - @qatarliving
Facebook - Qatar Living
YouTube - qatarlivingofficial
