Founded in 1952, NBK is ranked amongst the top 300 banks in the world and the fifth amongst Arab banks. It is the leading national bank and joint stock company in the Gulf Region.

It is by far the largest and most dominant financial institution in Kuwait. Among Arab banks, NBK has the most extensive regional and international network which includes branches, subsidiaries and representative offices in New York, London, Paris, Geneva, Beirut, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar and Singapore.