Top 15 Countries in Remittances Paid as a Percentage of GDP

Thanks to significant migration over the past decades, the Middle East is home to some of the world’s largest remittance corridors. Countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait are major sources of remittance outflows to South Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia, consistently ranking in the top 10 globally. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among the top three, just behind the U.S.

Outflows also represent a significant share of GDP, with six Middle Eastern countries in the global top 15, led by Kuwait at 10.87%. Meanwhile, less affluent nations benefit from inflows—Egypt ranks 11th globally by volume, while Palestine and Lebanon rank 14th and 18th by remittances as a percentage of GDP. Fintech innovations such as blockchain-based transfers and mobile platforms are gaining traction by reducing transfer times and costs, further transforming the remittance landscape in the region.