FinTech lab positions Saudi Arabia as rising MENA innovation hub

By Vriti Gothi

Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority (CMA) has reinforced its role as a catalyst for financial innovation, revealing that by the end of the second quarter of 2025 it had granted 68 experimental permits and registered 50 FinTech companies within its FinTech Lab. Of these, 36 firms are already operational, reflecting the Kingdom’s accelerating transition into a FinTech hub that is both attractive to entrepreneurs and strategically aligned with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the CMA Strategy 2024–2026.

The CMA’s FinTech Lab was established as a regulatory sandbox designed to provide a safe and controlled environment for testing new financial technologies. It enables both domestic and international FinTech players to experiment with innovative solutions under close regulatory supervision, ensuring a balance between innovation and consumer protection. The focus of the Lab extends to areas such as securities crowdfunding, robo-advisory, digital trading platforms, and the adoption of emerging technologies including social trading and AI-driven advisory services. By creating such an environment, the regulator offers entrepreneurs a clear path from experimentation to market entry, with access to regulatory guidance, technical expertise, and structured feedback.

Abdullah Binghannam, Deputy for Finance and Investment, CMA, commented, “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 progress achieved by the FinTech Lab has significantly contributed to diversifying the Kingdom’s financial products and services. New platforms have emerged to distribute investment and real estate funds, facilitate the issuance and investment of debt instruments, and deliver automated wealth management through robo-advisors. Social trading platforms and crowdfunding models are also gaining traction, broadening access to capital markets for a wider range of participants. In parallel, the CMA’s efforts have encouraged the establishment of venture capital funds dedicated to the FinTech sector, ensuring that new entrants benefit not only from regulatory oversight but also from access to much-needed capital.

This ecosystem approach demonstrates the CMA’s vision of creating a FinTech environment that is sustainable, competitive, and globally connected. Out of the 68 FinTech firms admitted to the Lab, 36 have launched operations, 14 are in the process of meeting final requirements, and five have graduated successfully, while others have completed their permit period. This structured model offers firms the flexibility to test business models in a defined timeframe while ensuring regulatory compliance and market readiness.

With these developments, Saudi Arabia is steadily enhancing its appeal as a FinTech hub for the wider Middle East and North Africa region. The combination of regulatory innovation, sandbox experimentation, and capital support has created fertile ground for both local startups and international firms seeking regional expansion. By embedding FinTech growth into its broader economic diversification plans, Saudi Arabia is signaling its ambition not only to participate in the global FinTech revolution but to play a leadership role in shaping its trajectory across the region.