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Mohammed Al Jadaan, Saudi minister of finance. The kingdom has appointed an executive specifically to lead its virtual assets and digital currency programme

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 […]

Employment growth in Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector eased further after hitting a nine-year record in October

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 […]

Open banking allows for the sharing of data between banks and other institutions

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 […]

Bank Of China is only the second Chinese bank to open a branch in Saudi Arabia

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 […]

Saudi banks slowdown giga-projects

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 […]

Ahli United Bank is converting to Islamic 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 […]

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 […]

Open banking allows financial data to be shared between banks and third-party apps such as payment services

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 […]

Saudi minister of energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman at an Opec meeting in June. It is thought Opec+ members cannot agree on further output cuts

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 […]

Machine, Wheel, Car

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” […]