Financial Regulation and Liberation

The book examines in depth, the centrality of the Saudi fixed currency regime to the US dollar, SAMA’s monetary tools, macro prudential policies and its supervision of the Saudi commercial banking sector and new sectors such as insurance, the emerging Fin Tech industry as well as a closer examination of SAMA’s investment policies as custodian of the local currency.

Saudi Arabia has long been associated with its central role in the global energy market, with its decisions on production volumes affecting the global financial markets.  However, the Kingdom has also emerged as a significant global financial player due to its large holdings of international currency, its dominance of the regional Gulf and Arab world capital markets, and the aspirations of its Sovereign Wealth Fund, the Public Investment Fund. The G20 Presidency in 2020 has also placed Saudi Arabia on the global stage for the country to showcase progress in many and opening up its financial market toforeign investors. But the path to financial regulation and liberation to unleash Saudi Arabia’s potential has not come overnight, but through incremental steps and learning by doing. The results speak for themselves as this book examines:
• The Saudi Capital Market and the evolution of its main Tadawul and parallel NOMU stock markets following the inclusion of Tadawul in the FTSE Russell, MSCI and S&P EM Indexes
• The centrality of the Saudi fixed peg exchange regime as well as a closer examination of SAMA’s investment policies as custodian of the local currency
• SAMA’s rebranding in 2020 as a Central Bank, its monetary and macro prudential policies and the re entry of foreign banks to the Saudi market, reversing previous Saudization of foreign bank branches in Saudi Arabia. 


The Author offers an analysis of the key challenges facing Saudi Arabia in an age of financial globalization, FinTech and digitization. The challenges faced by the Saudi regulators in the COVID 19 era are examined, along with the country’s financial sector objectives as part of the Vision 2030 program, SME financing now a central plank in the country’s Vision 2030 program, the role of FDI in economic growth, the reasons behind Saudi Arabia languishing behind other countries in attracting FDI given the size of its economy and rising domestic and foreign debt levels. It has been an incredible journey for a young country, and by all indications, the journey for expanded global partnership continues as Saudi Arabia also puts into practice its version of the circular carbon economy, its commitment to climate change, and being at the forefront of a new global digital economy.

Mohamed Ramady is a former Visiting Professor at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. His main interests are the economies of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia in particular, and energy. He also held senior positions with international financial institutions in Saudi Arabia, the Arabian Gulf and Europe.