NBK review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
NBK suits Kuwaiti customers that want a bank for everyday spending and a rewards credit card, with points through the NBK Rewards Program and instant discounts. The catch is the credit card price: an annual fee of KWD 30 and conversion fees of 3% to 5% on spending abroad.
Key facts
Pros and cons
Pros
- Points through the NBK Rewards Program, with rewards type points on the Classic credit card.
- Perks beyond points: instant discounts, flexible payment and NBK Secure Shopping.
- The debit card is built around travel spending, and its stated audience is students and kids.
Cons
- The Classic credit card costs KWD 30 a year, where the median annual fee across the cards in this comparison is €0.
- Conversion fees of 3% to 5% make overseas spending on the credit card costly.
- Support runs on phone and help centre only, while email is offered by 57.4% across the listed debit card providers.
Who it suits
- Students and kids who need a straightforward debit card for everyday purchases.
- Card holders who want points, instant discounts and flexible payment from the same bank.
- People who prefer their debit and credit cards handled by the same institution.
Who should look elsewhere
- Frequent overseas spenders, with conversion fees of 3% to 5% on the credit card.
- Anyone budgeting tightly, since the Classic credit card carries KWD 30 a year.
- Applicants who want email or live chat help, as NBK lists phone and help centre only.
Who runs it
NBK is the legal entity National Bank of Kuwait, headquartered in Kuwait and established in 1952. Support runs on phone and help centre: a phone line and a help centre. That is the whole listed service mix, so anyone who prefers email or live chat should weigh the gap before opening a card.
How NBK compares
9.0 vs 9.4
9.0 vs 9.0
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9.0 vs 9.4
9.0 vs 8.7
9.0 vs 9.2
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9.0 vs 8.4
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.8
9.0 vs 9.0
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9.0 vs 9.4
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9.0 vs 9.0
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9.0 vs 8.9
9.0 vs 8.8
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9.0 vs 8.4
9.0 vs 8.0- 9.0 vs 8.0
Where NBK is available
- Available
- Bahrain, China, Egypt, France, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does the NBK Classic credit card cost each year?+
The Classic credit card charges an annual fee of KWD 30. Points come through the NBK Rewards Program, and the rewards type is points. Perks also include instant discounts, flexible payment and NBK Secure Shopping, so the fee is weighed against what you actually spend on the card.
What rate does the NBK credit card charge for borrowing?+
The listed annual percentage rate on the NBK credit card is 12%. The median across cards in this comparison is 15.5%, and for listed debit cards it is 12.25%. A debit card draws on your account balance, so that rate applies to the credit card alone.
What does it cost to spend in another currency on an NBK card?+
Conversion fees on the NBK Classic credit card run 3% to 5%. Travel is the headline use for the NBK debit card, with travel listed as its focus. Across the listed debit cards, the median conversion fee is 1%, so frequent overseas spending is worth checking before choosing.
What rewards can I earn on an NBK card?+
Rewards on the NBK Classic credit card are points, listed as points, and they run through the NBK Rewards Program. Instant discounts and flexible payment sit alongside the points, and NBK Secure Shopping is listed as a further perk. Points are the minority structure in this category, at 21.3% across the comparison.
Who is the NBK debit card aimed at?+
The NBK debit card is a debit card, and the stated audience is students and kids. That makes it a spending tool for younger account holders rather than a rewards product. The Classic credit card is a credit card with points, so the two cards serve different purposes.
How do I get help from NBK?+
Support runs on phone and help centre, which means a phone line and a help centre. Among the listed debit card providers, email is offered by 57.4% and live chat by 35.5%, so anyone who plans to rely on written support may find NBK thinner on that side.
When was NBK founded and where is it based?+
NBK is the legal entity National Bank of Kuwait, headquartered in Kuwait and established in 1952. The cards sit under that same bank, so the debit card and the Classic credit card are applied for at the same institution rather than through separate providers.
How does the NBK credit card compare with the cards beside it?+
The listed annual fee for the NBK Classic credit card is KWD 30. The median annual fee across the cards in this comparison is €0, while the median for listed debit cards is €0. The conversion fee of 3% to 5% is the other number to weigh before applying.
Sources
- nbk.com/kuwait checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Support channels
“Kuwait”
- nbk.com/kuwait/About.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Since its incorporation in 1952 as Kuwait's first indigenous bank and the first shareholding company in the entire Gulf region, NBK has been known as 'The Bank You Know and Trust'.”
- nbk.com/kuwait/personal/cards/credit-cards.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: APR
“Annual Percentage Rate for all NBK Credit Cards: 12%”
- nbk.com/kuwait/personal/cards/credit-cards/classic-credit... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Annual fee, Card kind, Currency conversion fee, Perks, Rewards type
“Primary card issuance and annual fee: KD 30”
- nbk.com/kuwait/personal/cards/debit-cards.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Card type
“features for students and youth; With Zeina Debit Card, you can teach your children the basics of savings and banking from an early age.”
- nbk.com/kuwait/personal/cards/debit-cards/debit-card.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features
“Your NBK Debit Card lets you access money from any NBK ATM in Kuwait or abroad, and from other banks' ATMs with the KNET or Cirrus signage, locally and worldwide.”
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Monthly fee, Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.