🔥 Saudi just announced they want 525 fintech companies by 2030.

🔥 Saudi just announced they want 525 fintech companies by 2030.

Currently? They have 216.

That's 309 NEW fintechs needed in 5 years.

🇸🇦 Saudi’s math: 60+ new fintechs needed every year to hit that goal (currently over 220 active)

🇦🇪 UAE’s pace: DFSA licensed 117 new firms in 2023 alone, though actual fintech licenses across regulators may vary

Here's what caught my attention:

SAMA's new "expedited track" for GCC-licensed fintechs.

Translation: Get your UAE license first, then fast-track into Saudi in 6 months instead of 18.

The opportunity most founders are missing:

While everyone's fighting for UAE market share, Saudi's about to become the world's fastest-growing fintech ecosystem.

Personal insight from recent SAMA meetings: They're not just handing out licenses. They want:

Cross-border payment solutions SME lending platforms Islamic fintech innovation B2B payment infrastructure

The controversial take: Most UAE fintechs are building for the wrong market.

Dubai has 3.5M people. Riyadh metro area has 8M people. Saudi has 35M people under 30.

Do the math.

What I'm seeing behind closed doors:

Saudi sovereign funds allocating $2B for fintech investments Government procurement going 100% digital by 2026 Cross-border payment corridors opening with UAE, Bahrain, Oman

My prediction for 2025: The first wave of "Saudi-ready" fintechs will capture 80% of the market before local competition catches up.

The window is NOW.

Building for Saudi expansion? The playbook:

Get UAE license (4-6 months) Prove 12 months clean compliance Apply for SAMA expedited track Launch in largest untapped fintech market in MENA

Are you building for 3.5M people or 35M people?

Need the Saudi market entry strategy? Let's talk.

#SaudiFintech #SAMA #UAEFintech #MENAExpansion #FintechStrategy #Vision2030