Saudi Arabia

Economy & industry overview

Saudi Arabia has the largest economy in the Arab world, with a nominal GDP of approximately $1.24 trillion (2024, World Bank), anchored by one of the world's largest oil and gas sectors. The economy is heavily dependent on hydrocarbon revenues, which account for a substantial share of government income and exports; crude petroleum and refined products are the top export commodities. Under Vision 2030, the government is actively pursuing economic diversification across tourism, entertainment, mining, technology, and financial services, with significant giga-project investments such as NEOM underway. The Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) is the largest stock market in the Middle East and North Africa region by market capitalisation, driven significantly by Saudi Aramco, the world's largest integrated oil and gas company by output. The Saudi riyal has been pegged to the US dollar at 3.75 SAR/USD since 1986, providing monetary stability.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$1.24T
GDP growth real, annual	1.3%
Inflation annual	1.6%
Population people	35.2M
GDP per capita USD	$24,917
Market cap total listed, USD	$2.35T
Market cap / GDP	189.9%
Unemployment	3.5%
Listed companies	239
Exchange	Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) (TADAWUL)

Data year: 2024. Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook 2024, World Bank GDP Data 2024, Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) official data, Baker McKenzie Cross-Border Listings Guide 2025-2026, Wikipedia – Economy of Saudi Arabia, Wikipedia – Saudi Exchange, Wikipedia – Premium Residency, Trading Economics, Worldometer, Macrotrends, TheGlobalEconomy.com.

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Saudi Exchange (Tadawul)
Code	TADAWUL
Website	www.saudiexchange.sa
Currency	SAR

Local broker access

Foreign individual investors can now access Tadawul-listed securities directly following CMA rule changes effective February 2026, which removed the Qualified Foreign Investor (QFI) regime. International investors may also gain exposure through US-listed ETFs such as iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) or through EM/MENA-focused funds. Saudi Aramco (2222.SR) is listed only on Tadawul and has no US ADR; SABIC is majority-owned by Aramco and also trades solely on Tadawul. Most major brokers offering EM access or dedicated MENA platforms can facilitate Tadawul trading for eligible foreign investors.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only — not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

Saudi Arabia does not grant citizenship to non-nationals through investment. The Premium Residency programme grants long-term residency rights including the right to work, own property, and sponsor family members, without the traditional kafala (sponsorship) requirement. As of February 2026, all eligibility barriers to foreign investors investing directly in the Saudi capital market have been removed by the CMA, though foreign ownership limits in individual listed companies still apply. Expats constitute a large share of the private-sector workforce; the government's Saudisation (Nitaqat) programme sets minimum Saudi employment quotas by sector.