In support of the Diraya campaign, Kuwait Finance House (KFH) actively promotes financial literacy awareness across various community segments. Through its social media channels and website, KFH emphasizes the benefits of secure investment and saving. Additionally, it provides information about banking services offered, ensuring they are easily accessible, convenient for customers, and maintain high standards of quality and safety.
KFH is dedicated to sharing thoughtful media content that fosters financial literacy and educates customers on the key difference between saving and investment. The bank explained that saving involves setting aside a portion of funds for future use, while investment entails allocating funds towards a product or service with the aim of generating profit.
Kuwaiti banks provide a range of secure investment services and products, designed to assist customers in managing their investments and maximizing their returns. These services include different investment deposit options, where customers deposit money into an account at the bank to be invested in and generate returns over a set period of time. Customers are able to withdraw the deposited amount after the elapse of the specified contract period.
Investment funds are regarded as one of the services offered by banks. They serve as a combined investment tool that enables participants to invest their funds to realize profits. These funds are managed by a specialized manager against certain fees. The investment options within these funds may include stocks, bonds, merchandise, money markets, and other assets. It is important to note that investment funds offered by banks are regulated and licensed by the Capital Markets Authority.
The investment savings account is a type of account in which customers can deposit funds they wish to save. The bank will then invest these funds and deposit any returns realized into the same account on a periodical basis. This type of account differs from a traditional deposit account as it allows for withdrawals and additional deposits to be made at any time.
KFH affirmed the significance of customers' investment plans, which serve as means of preparing for future necessities like children’s education expenses, starting a personal project, retirement..etc. These plans assist in regularly saving money in a bank account and generating returns. The realized returns together with the customer's deposited amounts are available at the end of the saving plan period.
Different investments carry varying risk levels. High-risk investments often lack regulatory oversight that ensures investor protection. For instance, virtual currencies are considered as one of the high-risk investments as they don’t fall under the supervision of the Central Bank of Kuwait or any other local or international institutions. These digital assets are decentralized and difficult to control, therefore transactions made can’t be monitored or tracked.
On this basis, the Central Bank of Kuwait urges investors to be cautious, highlighting the significance of being well-informed and avoiding unknown parties to prevent falling victims of financial scams.
As part of its CSR program, KFH persistently engages in shedding light on the rights of customers and providing education regarding their obligations when they interact with banks. These efforts align with Diraya campaign launched in 2021 by the Central Bank of Kuwait in cooperation with the Kuwait Banking Association.