Foreign investors will now be permitted to access Saudi Arabia’s capital market starting February 1, the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) announced on Tuesday, January 6, as part of its broader effort to attract international capital.
The country’s financial markets regulator stated that the changes to existing stock market laws will help broaden and diversify the range of investors allowed in the main market, in turn supporting investment flows and improving market liquidity.
The amendments further eliminate the concept of “Qualified Foreign Investor,” which had previously restricted direct market access to international institutions or companies that were required to meet certain size and experience standards.
This means the international investors can invest directly in the country’s capital market without qualifying for the previous system, the statement read.
According to the CMA statement, international investors’ ownership in the capital exceeded SAR 590 billion by the end of the third quarter in 2025. While investments in the main market reached approximately SAR 519 billion during the same period, showing exponential growth compared to 2024, when the data stood at SAR 498 billion.
The financial markets regulator said the approved amendments are likely to contribute to attracting additional international investments.
In 2025, the Saudi benchmark index, referred to as TASI, fell 12.8 per cent, and is down a further 1.9 per cent as of this year.
Currently, the Saudi Exchange, also known as Tadawul, has 262 listed companies, with the market capitalisation reaching SAR 9 trillion.
