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Doha, Qatar: Qatar has demonstrated strong performance in pension system integrity and retirement income adequacy, scoring 78.4 and 74.1 points respectively in the 2026 Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension Index, highlighting the country’s robust governance framework and commitment to providing retirement benefits.
The country secured an overall score of 66.0 points and a B grade in the latest edition of the international ranking.
Qatar was among three countries included in the index for the first time, alongside the Dominican Republic and Kenya, highlighting the expanding geographical coverage of the annual assessment.
Qatar’s strongest performance was recorded in the integrity category, which evaluates the governance, regulation, protection and communication arrangements underpinning retirement income systems.
Its score of 78.4 points reflects a comparatively strong performance in the institutional and regulatory aspects assessed by the index, while its adequacy score of 74.1 points highlights the relative strength of retirement benefits available under the country’s pension arrangements.
The report, released on October 20, provides an international assessment of retirement income systems, examining their ability to deliver adequate benefits, maintain financial sustainability and operate within effective governance frameworks.
Qatar’s B classification indicates a retirement income system with a sound structure and several positive features, although improvements remain necessary in certain areas.
The country’s sustainability score stood at 47.9 points, indicating opportunities to further strengthen the long-term financial resilience of its pension arrangements.
The index assigns a 40 percent weighting to adequacy, 35 percent to sustainability and 25 percent to integrity. The Netherlands retained the top position with 85.8 points, followed by Denmark with 84.1 points and Iceland with 84.0 points.
The report highlighted the growing importance of strengthening pension systems amid changing demographic patterns, increasing life expectancy and evolving labour market conditions.
It noted that ageing populations and declining fertility rates are placing additional pressure on retirement income systems, making financial sustainability an increasingly important consideration for policymakers.
The study also emphasised the need for effective governance, appropriate regulation and greater pension coverage to ensure retirement security for future generations.
For Qatar, the strong scores in integrity and adequacy provide an encouraging benchmark for its retirement income framework, while identifying sustainability as an area for continued attention.
The index, now in its 18th edition, has expanded from covering 11 retirement income systems in 2009 to 55 in 2026, representing approximately 66 percent of the world’s population.
Its findings provide governments and policymakers with comparative insights to support the continued development of retirement income systems and strengthen financial security for retirees.
