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Qatar Central Bank and Euroclear announced in a joint statement the establishment of a new international settlement link that will make eligible Qatari riyal-denominated government bonds and sukuk accessible through Euroclear Bank. The arrangement designates Euroclear Bank as the issuer central securities depository, with Edaa serving as the investor central securities depository for local participants and the Qatar Central Bank acting as issuer and paying agent. This development forms part of Qatar’s Third Financial Sector Strategy and the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030, which focus on modernising market infrastructure and deepening global integration, the two organisations said.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Thani, deputy governor of the Qatar Central Bank, described the link as a reflection of ongoing work to build a more robust capital market. “Qatar’s continued development of the government securities market reflects our commitment to fostering a deeper, more efficient and resilient capital market,” Al-Thani stated. “By enhancing the infrastructure and mechanisms that support the issuance and trading of government bonds and sukuk, we are creating greater opportunities for investors, encouraging broader participation, and strengthening the foundations for sustainable growth in the financial market.”
Valerie Urbain, chief executive officer of Euroclear, outlined expected gains in accessibility and market dynamics. “By making eligible Qatari government bonds and sukuk Euroclearable, we are helping to simplify market access, enhance liquidity and strengthen Qatar’s appeal to global investors,” Urbain said in the announcement. “Euroclear has a long-standing commitment to advancing market development through trusted financial infrastructure. We are delighted to work alongside our partners in Qatar to deliver stronger global market access and support the country’s long-term capital market ambitions.”
The partnership arrives as Qatar maintains an active schedule of government debt issuance that has drawn substantial demand from investors. In a September 2026 operation, the Qatar Central Bank issued QR400 million in bonds on behalf of the Ministry of Finance yet received bids totalling QR4 billion, a tenfold oversubscription according to central bank statements carried by The Peninsula. A late-September sukuk issuance of QR4.1 billion attracted QR9.2 billion in bids, QCB data showed, illustrating robust interest that the new Euroclear connection is expected to broaden internationally.
Comparable Euroclear linkages in other jurisdictions have expanded foreign participation in local currency government debt. A 2024 agreement with South Korean authorities, detailed in an Euroclear Bank release, opened Korean Treasury Bonds to efficient post-trade settlement and collateral use, prompting Korean officials to project wider global investor engagement. Qatar’s initiative follows a similar model by routing settlement through Euroclear’s international central securities depository, potentially lowering transaction costs and increasing secondary market liquidity.
IMF and World Bank data place Qatar’s government debt at roughly QR259 billion, equivalent to about 33 percent of GDP. International investors will gain streamlined, secure access to Qatar’s domestic debt instruments while issuers benefit from a larger and more diversified capital pool, the joint statement indicated. The link is projected to support greater market depth and reinforce Qatar’s standing within global fixed-income markets.
