10/06/2026 04:34 AST
Saudi Arabia's capital market assets under management surpassed SR1.2 trillion ($320 billion) in 2025, registering an 18 percent increase, according to official figures.
The annual report released by the Kingdom's Capital Market Authority showed that the growth was accompanied by a 53 percent rise in private real estate fund assets and a 57 percent annual increase in public money market funds.
Debt instruments also saw robust demand, with assets under management in public and private debt funds rising 44 percent, while private equity funds grew 31 percent by the end of the year.
This highlights the continued expansion of Saudi Arabia's asset management industry as the Kingdom pushes ahead with efforts to diversify its economy and deepen capital markets under Vision 2030.
The latest data also support forecasts from Fitch Ratings, which said in October that Saudi Arabia's asset management industry is on track to exceed $400 billion in assets under management by 2026, making it the largest market in the Gulf Cooperation Council.
In its annual report, CMA stated: "On the international investment front, the report revealed an increase in net international investment in the Main Market of approximately SR20 billion, rising from SR204.3 billion in 2024 to SR225.2 billion within one year."
It added: "The number of international investors in the capital market increased by 8.8 percent, reaching approximately 161,000 international investors by the end of last year compared to 147,800 international investors the year before."
Key regulatory measures included allowing foreign investors to buy shares in listed real estate companies that invest in Makkah and Madinah, as well as a public consultation on opening the Main Market to all categories of non-resident foreign investors, a regulation the CMA adopted in early 2026.
As a result, Saudi Arabia improved its global competitiveness ranking in five of the 12 indicators related to capital markets, the report noted.
The CMA's 2025 Annual Report detailed exceptional performance across nearly every segment of the market, stating that the authority's efforts resulted in "unprecedented record figures across various developmental, regulatory, and legislative aspects, reinforcing the standing of the Saudi capital market and its attractiveness to local and international investors."
The sukuk and debt instruments market continued its rapid expansion, with the total value of listed sukuk and debt securities rising 7.5 percent to SR713.4 billion, from SR663.5 billion in 2024.
Proceeds from corporate sukuk and debt offerings reached SR50.7 billion, marking only the second time in four years that debt market fundraising surpassed equity market proceeds, which stood at SR33.9 billion.
This, the CMA said, reflects "the growing attractiveness of the debt market as a vital financing channel," noting that an over-the-counter settlement service for debt instruments became available in 2025 and that investment restrictions for public investment funds in private debt instruments were removed.
The Kingdom's capital market ecosystem also expanded during the year. The regulator issued 32 new licenses, bringing the total number of licensed capital market institutions to 215 by the end of 2025.
Revenues generated by those institutions rose 19.4 percent year on year to SR20.8 billion, while profits increased 16 percent to SR10.2 billion.
The report also highlighted advances in investor protection. Compensation awarded in civil securities claims reached SR124.6 million, while three compensation funds established for investors affected by market violations benefited more than 20,000 individuals.
The average time taken to handle violations, from detection to regulatory action, stood at 3.2 months.
Fintech activity accelerated sharply, with the number of investors using fintech-enabled services increasing 35 percent to more than 1.06 million by the end of 2025.
Arab News
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