QCB strengthens financial stability, supervision in 2025

The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) published its 2025 annual report, outlining significant advancements in Qatar's monetary and financial sectors. The report underscores the bank's role in fortifying the financial system's stability and regulatory capacity. Throughout the year, the QCB maintained monetary stability by adjusting interest rates in alignment with economic needs, resulting in a 75-base-point cumulative reduction.

This reduction was swiftly reflected in the overnight interbank market rate, demonstrating the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission.

The Central Bank's vigilant oversight and forward-looking risk assessments contributed to a resilient banking sector, with capital and liquidity buffers exceeding regulatory benchmarks. Notably, the official reserves increased to QR202.2 billion by year-end, with gold holding a substantial share at 28.9 percent, up from 7.9 percent in 2021. This expansion bolsters the country's external financial buffers.

The QCB's regulatory framework was reinforced through the issuance of multiple circulars and the extension of supervisory coverage through 15 onsite reviews and 84 special inspection missions. Regarding the Third Financial Sector Strategy (3FSS), out of 283 projects, 153 were led by QCB, with 111 projects successfully completed during the strategy's third year.

The QCB-operated Real-Time Gross Settlement System (QA-RTGS) processed nearly 497,000 high-value transactions worth QR10.26 trillion in 2025. Additionally, the bank introduced a foreign currency transfer service, enabling local settlement and transfer of US dollar transactions through QCB-linked accounts.

The bank's focus on technological advancement is evident in the rise of QCB-licensed FinTech entities to 14, alongside the publication of 10 key regulations under the FinTech Strategy. Six FinTech firms were admitted to sandbox programs, highlighting the bank's commitment to innovation. Furthermore, QCB launched the second phase of the Primary Dealers Framework, conducting its first auction on August 24, 2025.

Government bond and sukuk issuance totaled QR23.3 billion, with QR121.4 billion in outstanding instruments at year-end. Lastly, the bank delivered 104 specialized training programs to employees and the broader financial sector, with 4,664 participants, and formalized its learning platform through a structured recruitment process.