Foreign direct investment into Saudi Arabia rose by more than 34 percent in the third quarter of 2025, according to government data.
Net FDI inflows – the value of inflows minus outflows – stood at SAR24.9 billion ($6.6 billion) in Q3, compared with SAR18.5 billion in the same quarter of 2024.
The Saudi government aims to reach $100 billion in annual FDI inflows by 2030 and is working on reforms to entice more foreign investors.
Last February it introduced an investment law that it hopes will simplify legislation and persuade international funders to put money into the country, particularly the sectors aligned with Vision 2030.
On Tuesday the Saudi cabinet approved the regulatory frameworks for special economic zones including Jazan, the Information Cloud Computing Zone, King Abdullah Economic City and Ras Al-Khair.
Investment minister Khalid Al Falih said he expected the regulations to come into effect in April 2026, easing licensing procedures across the zones.
FDI inflows for Q3 2025 stood at SAR27.7 billion, up 4.4 percent on Q3 2024, according to the General Authority for Statistics. The jump in net inflows is mostly down to a 66 percent drop in outflows, from SAR8 billion in Q3 2024 to SAR2.7 billion in Q3 2025.
Total FDI inflows for the first three quarters of 2025 stood at SAR80.5 billion, compared to SAR119.2 billion for the full year 2024.
Investment sentiment in Saudi Arabia has drawn increasingly inwards in recent years. The Public Investment Fund has looked towards increasing its domestic assets at a higher rate than its foreign holdings.
Further reading:
- Opinion: Saudi Arabia’s policy trilemma – oil, debt and deficits
- Higher housing and fuel costs drive Saudi inflation
- Saudi Arabia in numbers: economic and demographic data
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