Saudi Arabia: Commerce Ministry Issues Nearly 2,000 Licences for Ramadan Sales

Saudi Gazette, 9 February 2026: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce has issued 1,987 licences for Ramadan sales and promotional offers across the Kingdom

The Ministry of Commerce has announced the issuance of 1,987 licences authorising discounts and promotional offers for the Ramadan sales season, which began on 1 February and will continue until after Eid al‑Fitr. The licences apply to both commercial establishments and online stores across the Kingdom.

According to the Ministry, the approved promotions cover more than five million products, including food and consumer goods, electrical and electronic appliances, perfumes and cosmetics, clothing and fashion items, and other Ramadan and Eid essentials.

Authorities also urged online shoppers to place orders early in anticipation of peak demand in the parcel‑delivery sector as Ramadan approaches. The Ministry, along with the Transport General Authority and the E‑Commerce Council, highlighted that early ordering improves shipping flow, reduces delays and enhances consumer experience.

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Saudi Arabia: CMA Fully Opens Capital Market to Foreign Investors

Saudi Gazette, 1 February 2026: Saudi Arabia has taken a major regulatory step by fully opening its capital market to all categories of foreign investors, reshaping access to the Kingdom’s main stock exchange.

Saudi Arabia has approved a new regulatory framework allowing all foreign investors to access the capital market directly, and the changes took effect on 1 February. The Capital Market Authority announced that overseas institutions, funds and other foreign entities could now trade directly on the Tadawul All Share Index without meeting prior qualification requirements.

The reform abolished the long‑standing Qualified Foreign Investor regime and removed the regulatory structure governing swap agreements, which had previously limited non‑resident investors to economic exposure rather than direct share ownership. Under the new framework, foreign investors are permitted to invest directly in shares listed on the main market, aligning Saudi Arabia’s access rules more closely with international standards.

The CMA confirmed that foreign ownership limits remained in place. Non‑resident foreign investors, excluding strategic investors, are prohibited from holding 10% or more of any listed company, while total foreign ownership in a listed issuer is capped at 49%. The authority stated that these limits were intended to balance market openness with stability and regulatory oversight.

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Saudi Arabia: New Rules on Foreign Property Ownership

Gulf News, 23 January 2026: Saudi Arabia has begun enforcing a new regulatory framework governing how non‑Saudis can acquire real estate, marking the formal rollout of rules that channel foreign property ownership through a single digital system.

The Real Estate General Authority have confirmed that the Regulation on Real Estate Ownership by Non‑Saudis under Saudi Arabia Cabinet Decision No. 42/1447 have officially taken effect, bringing into force a system that standardises applications and approvals for property ownership by foreigners. Under the regime, all requests must now be processed through Saudi Properties, the government’s unified digital portal for real‑estate services.

The rules apply to residents holding valid residency permits, non‑residents, and foreign companies and entities, with each category subject to a distinct administrative pathway. Resident applicants are permitted to apply directly through the portal, while non‑residents were required to initiate the process through Saudi diplomatic missions abroad to obtain a digital identity before completing applications electronically. Foreign companies without a physical presence in the Kingdom must register first with the Ministry of Investment and obtain a unified identification number before seeking ownership approval.

The regulation allows non‑Saudi ownership across multiple regions of the Kingdom, but introduces heightened controls for strategically sensitive locations. Ownership in Riyadh and Jeddah, as well as in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, will be governed by a separate geographic zoning framework that authorities indicated is expected to be published in the first quarter of 2026. In Mecca and Medina, ownership remains restricted to Saudi companies and Muslim individuals.

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Saudi Arabia: AI‑Enabled Sustain Platform to Drive Cross‑Sector Collaboration

Saudi Gazette, 19 January 2026: Saudi Arabia is to launch the SUSTAIN Platform in 2026 to accelerate AI‑enabled collaboration across government, business and civil society for sustainable‑development initiatives.

The Ministry of Economy and Planning confirmed that the platform will launch in a beta form. It has been designed as an AI‑powered matchmaking network to help entities identify credible partners, build coalitions and move sustainability projects from planning to implementation more efficiently.

The platform aims to address the global challenge of fragmented partnership opportunities, which often delay or weaken impact. SUSTAIN will also operationalise Saudi Arabia’s aim for stronger public‑private coordination and will support national goals on sustainable growth, economic diversification and long‑term development outcomes.

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Saudi Arabia: Commerce Ministry Bans Use of Religious Names on Bags and Packaging

Saudi Gazette, 12 January 2026: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce has prohibited printing the names of God on bags and packaging to preserve respect for religious expressions.

The Ministry announced a directive banning the inclusion of divine names on commercial packaging and shopping bags. The measure aims to prevent misuse and improper disposal of items bearing sacred references. Officials confirmed that the ban applies to all retailers and manufacturers, with compliance checks to follow.

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Saudi Arabia: Cabinet Approves Regulatory Frameworks for Four Special Economic Zones

Asharq Al-Awsat, 2 January 2026: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet approved regulatory frameworks for four Special Economic Zones, initiating a major step to bolster the Kingdom’s investment ecosystem.

In a decision on 2 January 2026, the Saudi Cabinet approved new regulations governing the special economic zones (SEZs) in Jazan, Ras Al-Khair, King Abdullah Economic City, and the Cloud Computing & Informatics Zone in Riyadh. The move marked the transition of these SEZs into their operational and legal phase, offering investors a clear roadmap on incentives, licensing regimes, and ownership flexibility.

Minister of Investment confirmed that the regulations will come into force in early April 2026, describing the approval as a major leap in developing the Kingdom’s regulatory ecosystem and enhancing global investment competitiveness in line with Vision 2030.

Each zone targets strategic sectors aligned with its regional strengths:

• Jazan: a hub for food processing, mining, and manufacturing, leveraging its port and links to African markets.
• Ras Al-Khair: a centre for maritime, shipbuilding, offshore rigs, and marine support.
• King Abdullah Economic City: a logistics, high-value manufacturing, and automotive hub.
• Cloud Computing & Informatics Zone (Riyadh): a data-driven economy zone, facilitating local data storage and processing by global tech firms.

The regulations include incentives like flexible licensing, tax and customs exemptions, streamlined operational procedures, foreign ownership rights, multilingual trade naming, and exemptions from select provisions of Saudi Arabia Cabinet Decision No. 678/1443 on the Approval of the Companies Law. Tailored Saudisation frameworks will align workforce policies to each zone’s economic activity, balancing local talent development with investor needs.

The unified governance model will provide clear mandates across government entities, accelerating licensing processes and ensuring a fast, flexible business environment. As a result, firms will have enhanced regulatory clarity and operational agility when entering or scaling within Saudi Arabia’s SEZs

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Saudi Arabia: Central Bank Cuts Banking and Payment Fees Under New Framework

Gulf Business, 23 December 2025: The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has unveiled a new regulatory guide aimed at reducing banking and payment fees, enhancing transparency, and strengthening consumer protection across the financial sector.

SAMA announced the introduction of the “Fees Guide for Financial Institutions’ Services,” which will replace the existing Banking Tariff. The guide sets out revised fee structures for services offered by banks and payment companies, including reductions in administrative charges for financing products, card reissuance, international transactions, and fund transfers. The move is designed to promote financial inclusion, improve pricing clarity, and encourage digital adoption.

In addition to the fee reforms, SAMA issued updated Implementing Regulations under the Saudi Arabia Regulation No. 4/1434 on Implementing Regulation of the Finance Companies Control Law. These updates modernise licensing requirements, adjust aggregate finance limits, and clarify procedures for expired licenses. The changes also repeal outdated rules on microfinance activities, reflecting a broader effort to streamline oversight and support sustainable sector growth.

Both the Fees Guide and the updated regulations are available on SAMA’s Rulebook portal.

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Saudi Arabia: Digital Health and Safety Transformation

Arab News, 15 December 2025: Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has introduced a number of new digital health and safety systems.

The digital tools are being used to strengthen pharmacovigilance and oversight of cosmetic safety. The transformation began with the launch of the fully digital “Saudi Vigilance” platform, which has replaced paper-based adverse reaction reporting. Smart reporting forms and behavioural nudges have also improved data quality and completion rates, while centralised dashboards are providing real-time analysis of adverse events, enabling early detection of safety signals.

In addition, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been used to streamline medication safety processes by automating repetitive tasks such as report sorting and data checks, significantly improving efficiency. The SFDA has also integrated digital safety measures into hospital systems, delivering alerts and training materials directly to healthcare professionals. Finally, the Saudi Name Registration (SNR) platform is now improving drug name safety checks in both Arabic and English, reducing the risk of medication errors.

SFDA also plan to deploy artificial intelligence tools for cosmetic product safety, including automated ingredient checks and consumer feedback analysis.

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