The Capital Market Authority (CMA) of Saudi Arabia has continued to strengthen the regulatory framework for fintech development, confirming that 68 experimental permits had been issued by the end of the second quarter of 2025.

Of these, 50 companies are registered under the CMA’s Fintech Lab, with 36 currently in operation.

The Fintech Lab was launched as a controlled setting for testing financial products and services.

It allows domestic and international firms to pilot solutions under regulatory supervision, with particular focus on securities crowdfunding, robo-advisory, digital trading platforms, and emerging technologies such as social trading and AI-driven advisory tools.

Among the 68 firms admitted to the Lab, 36 have begun operations, 14 are in the process of meeting launch requirements, five have graduated, and others have concluded their permit period.

Abdullah Binghannam, Deputy for Finance and Investment at the CMA, said:

“The environment we are creating supports a safe path from experimentation to market entry, empowering entrepreneurs with access to regulatory guidance, technical support, and a clear framework for responsible innovation. As we highlighted at Money20/20 Middle East, this clarity is essential for scaling fintech safely and attracting global innovators to the Saudi market.”

The CMA’s work in the fintech sector has contributed to diversifying financial products and opening new channels for economic financing.

These include platforms for distributing investment and real estate funds, systems for issuing and investing in debt instruments, automated advisory services, social trading models, and crowdfunding platforms.

The framework has also encouraged the establishment of venture capital funds, subject to CMA regulation.

Through its sandbox approach, the CMA provides fintech companies with a structured, time-bound space to test business models under supervision.

Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Middle East, based on image by user6702303 via Freepik