Company Insights Saudi Central Bank Banking & Finance Saudi Central Bank News Finance Saudi’s crypto economy shrugs off regional decline Saudi Arabia was one of only six countries in which the volume of cryptocurrency deals grew over the last year, according to a new report. The majority of its Middle East neighbours recorded double-digit declines. The kingdom’s crypto economy grew by 12 percent between July 2022 and July this year, as per the 2023 Geography […] September 26, 2023 Banking & Finance Saudi crowdfunding takes off as loans double in 2022 The number of new businesses taking on debt through crowdfunding platforms has soared in Saudi Arabia. The value of loans raised has more than doubled to SAR771 million Saudi riyals ($206 million) in 2022, the Saudi central bank (Sama) said in a new report. Crowdfunding is a process in which multiple investors lend money to […] September 19, 2023 Banking & Finance Tarabut poised as Saudi plans open banking regulations Open banking platform Tarabut Gateway is gearing up for the launch of new regulations in Saudi Arabia as the kingdom expands its financial technology offerings. The system of open banking allows for financial data to be shared between banks and third-party service providers through the use of applications. Ayman al Sayari, governor of the Saudi […] September 14, 2023 Banking & Finance Bank of China opens Riyadh branch Bank of China has opened its first branch in Riyadh with the aim of extending use of the yuan in finance and trade, Chinese and Saudi media reported. One of China’s top four state banks, Bank of China opened the branch two years after obtaining approval from Saudi authorities with a staff of 20, most […] September 11, 2023 Banking & Finance Saudi banks face slowdown as giga-projects take toll Saudi banks are witnessing a slowdown, impacting liquidity, net profits and share price across the sector, as the pressure of funding the kingdom’s giga-projects takes its toll, analysts say. Growth in net profit at the top ten banks slowed to 0.3 percent in the second quarter and the Saudi index of bank stocks fell 18.8 […] September 8, 2023 Analysis Banking & Finance Islamic finance tops $3.3trn but growth challenges remain Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest player in Islamic finance and the appetite for it in the kingdom is only growing. It has $830 billion of assets out of a global market estimated to be worth $3.3 trillion, according to Ayman al Sayari, the governor of the Saudi Central Bank. Just last week, when Saudi […] August 30, 2023 Finance Islamic assets in Saudi Arabia exceed $827bn says Sama Saudi Arabia’s total Islamic assets exceed SAR3.1 trillion ($826.58 billion), said Ayman Al Sayari, governor of the Saudi Central Bank (Sama). “Saudi Arabia has a deep-rooted and historical relationship with Islamic finance. The Islamic banking sector alone accounts for 33 percent of the global Islamic bank assets,” Al Sayari said at the Islamic Financial Services […] August 18, 2023 Exclusive Banking & Finance Dubai’s Tarabut points way for open banking in GCC The new chief financial officer of open banking platform Tarabut Gateway sees “exciting times ahead” as the company focuses on expansion in Saudi Arabia. It is also hoping to enter other Middle East markets. Open banking allows for financial data to be shared between banks and third-party service providers through the use of applications. Similar […] August 10, 2023 Energy Saudi oil cut extended as it posts budget deficit Saudi Arabia will extend a one million barrel per day voluntary crude oil output cut into September, as fears of a global economic slowdown continue to weigh on demand. The decision was made as the kingdom announced a budget deficit for the second quarter of the year. Negative GDP growth led to analysts declaring that […] August 4, 2023 Banking & Finance Saudi insurers plan merger as consolidation grows The board of Al Sagr Insurance Company has backed a proposed merger with rival Gulf Union Ahlia Insurance Company as increased claims and rising regulatory costs spur consolidation among insurers in Saudi Arabia. A circular sent to shareholders of Al Sagr shareholders, seen by AGBI, concluded the offer from Gulf Union is “fair and reasonable” […] August 1, 2023 Posts navigation Previous 1 … 4 5 6 … 9 Next
Finance Saudi’s crypto economy shrugs off regional decline Saudi Arabia was one of only six countries in which the volume of cryptocurrency deals grew over the last year, according to a new report. The majority of its Middle East neighbours recorded double-digit declines. The kingdom’s crypto economy grew by 12 percent between July 2022 and July this year, as per the 2023 Geography […] September 26, 2023
Banking & Finance Saudi crowdfunding takes off as loans double in 2022 The number of new businesses taking on debt through crowdfunding platforms has soared in Saudi Arabia. The value of loans raised has more than doubled to SAR771 million Saudi riyals ($206 million) in 2022, the Saudi central bank (Sama) said in a new report. Crowdfunding is a process in which multiple investors lend money to […] September 19, 2023
Banking & Finance Tarabut poised as Saudi plans open banking regulations Open banking platform Tarabut Gateway is gearing up for the launch of new regulations in Saudi Arabia as the kingdom expands its financial technology offerings. The system of open banking allows for financial data to be shared between banks and third-party service providers through the use of applications. Ayman al Sayari, governor of the Saudi […] September 14, 2023
Banking & Finance Bank of China opens Riyadh branch Bank of China has opened its first branch in Riyadh with the aim of extending use of the yuan in finance and trade, Chinese and Saudi media reported. One of China’s top four state banks, Bank of China opened the branch two years after obtaining approval from Saudi authorities with a staff of 20, most […] September 11, 2023
Banking & Finance Saudi banks face slowdown as giga-projects take toll Saudi banks are witnessing a slowdown, impacting liquidity, net profits and share price across the sector, as the pressure of funding the kingdom’s giga-projects takes its toll, analysts say. Growth in net profit at the top ten banks slowed to 0.3 percent in the second quarter and the Saudi index of bank stocks fell 18.8 […] September 8, 2023
Analysis Banking & Finance Islamic finance tops $3.3trn but growth challenges remain Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest player in Islamic finance and the appetite for it in the kingdom is only growing. It has $830 billion of assets out of a global market estimated to be worth $3.3 trillion, according to Ayman al Sayari, the governor of the Saudi Central Bank. Just last week, when Saudi […] August 30, 2023
Finance Islamic assets in Saudi Arabia exceed $827bn says Sama Saudi Arabia’s total Islamic assets exceed SAR3.1 trillion ($826.58 billion), said Ayman Al Sayari, governor of the Saudi Central Bank (Sama). “Saudi Arabia has a deep-rooted and historical relationship with Islamic finance. The Islamic banking sector alone accounts for 33 percent of the global Islamic bank assets,” Al Sayari said at the Islamic Financial Services […] August 18, 2023
Exclusive Banking & Finance Dubai’s Tarabut points way for open banking in GCC The new chief financial officer of open banking platform Tarabut Gateway sees “exciting times ahead” as the company focuses on expansion in Saudi Arabia. It is also hoping to enter other Middle East markets. Open banking allows for financial data to be shared between banks and third-party service providers through the use of applications. Similar […] August 10, 2023
Energy Saudi oil cut extended as it posts budget deficit Saudi Arabia will extend a one million barrel per day voluntary crude oil output cut into September, as fears of a global economic slowdown continue to weigh on demand. The decision was made as the kingdom announced a budget deficit for the second quarter of the year. Negative GDP growth led to analysts declaring that […] August 4, 2023
Banking & Finance Saudi insurers plan merger as consolidation grows The board of Al Sagr Insurance Company has backed a proposed merger with rival Gulf Union Ahlia Insurance Company as increased claims and rising regulatory costs spur consolidation among insurers in Saudi Arabia. A circular sent to shareholders of Al Sagr shareholders, seen by AGBI, concluded the offer from Gulf Union is “fair and reasonable” […] August 1, 2023