Saudi Arabia is rapidly consolidating its status as a global investment powerhouse, using its strategic location and the institutional progress of Saudi Vision 2030 to usher in a new phase of economic diversification. As the Kingdom moves into the third phase of Vision 2030 (2026-2030), national priorities are increasingly focused on aligning financial planning with regional strategies to secure long-term sustainable growth.
At the center of this transformation is the National Investment Strategy, which was launched to drive growth across multiple sectors. The strategy aims to raise the private sector’s contribution to GDP to 65%, increase foreign direct investment to 5.7% of GDP, and lift the share of non-oil exports from 16% to 50% of non-oil GDP.
These reforms have already delivered strong results. FDI inflows rose 14% in 2025 to reach SAR 136 billion, a fivefold increase compared with 2017, while total FDI stock grew 13% to about SAR 1.1 trillion. According to the UNCTAD World Investment Report, Saudi Arabia climbed to 13th place globally among the largest FDI recipients in 2025, supported by a 53% increase in net inflows to SAR 122 billion. The Kingdom has also issued licenses to more than 700 international companies to establish regional headquarters in Riyadh.
Foreign private investment has mirrored this broader economic momentum. A recent Saudi Venture Capital Company report showed that FPI inflows into Saudi private markets reached SAR 20 billion ($5.3 billion) in 2025, representing 60% of total private investment. Since 2019, more than SAR 40 billion ($11 billion) in FPI has flowed into the Kingdom, helping it remain the largest venture capital market in the MENA region for the third consecutive year. The number of international investors rose from 28 in 2019 to 148 in 2025.
SVC
SVC CEO Nora Alsarhan told the Saudi Press Agency that Saudi private markets have matured significantly, with investment now expanding beyond financial technology and e-commerce into priority sectors such as healthcare, supported by more stable mid-market deals and private credit. She added that SVC, acting as a market maker, has committed to more than 67 venture capital, private equity, and private debt funds to help channel international capital into the market.
Riyadh Chamber of Commerce First Vice Chairman Abdullah Alkhorayef said the Kingdom is no longer simply competing to attract capital, but has become a global magnet for high-quality investments that transfer knowledge, localize technologies, and create jobs. He also stressed that strong legislative reforms have played a major role in building investor confidence, while affirming the chamber’s commitment to empowering the business sector and facilitating the smooth integration of international investors into the Saudi economy.
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