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The Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat) reported that combined outward remittances from the GCC reached about $161 billion in 2025. This total represents a 13.6 percent increase from the previous year, adding roughly $19 billion. The figure marks the second consecutive annual rise following a decline in 2023 and stands as the highest level recorded. According to the centre’s assessment, the growth aligns with sustained demand for expatriate workers alongside broader economic activities in infrastructure, services, industry and non-oil sectors.
The GCC-Stat report placed the 2025 remittances at 6.6 percent of the GCC’s combined gross domestic product. That share had stood at 6.0 percent in 2024, 5.7 percent in 2023 and 5.6 percent in 2022. The centre noted that the ratio reflects the relative weight of remittances against the size of the economies rather than signalling economic performance improvement or decline.
The GCC-Stat report also showed that the GCC total exceeded outward remittances from individual major economies, including $107 billion from the United States, $43 billion from Switzerland, $27 billion from Germany and $21 billion from France. The centre highlighted this comparison to underscore the bloc’s global standing in cross-border financial flows. Such remittances contribute to household incomes and economic stability in receiving countries, according to the GCC-Stat document.
Separate figures drawn from the GCC-Stat data and published by Times Kuwait indicated the United Arab Emirates led with $62.1 billion in 2025, accounting for 38.7 percent of the bloc total. Saudi Arabia followed at approximately $58 billion while posting the fastest growth rate of 26.9 percent among member states. The two largest economies together represented 74.8 percent of all GCC remittances, the publication reported.
The same compilation showed Kuwait recorded $16.7 billion in outward remittances last year, up 18.2 percent and ranking third in value. Qatar sent $11.9 billion, Oman $9.5 billion and Bahrain $2.5 billion, the latter being the only member to register a decline of 4.3 percent. Over the longer term, total GCC remittances have climbed nearly 46 percent since 2020 when the figure stood at $110 billion, the GCC-Stat report indicated.
The GCC-Stat data traced annual outflows rising from $127 billion in 2021 and $132 billion in 2022 before a dip to $128 billion in 2023 and recovery to $142 billion in 2024. The Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf compiled the data from official national sources across the six states. The 2025 total of $161 billion completes a six-year period during which remittances expanded substantially on the back of economic and demographic trends in the region.
