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Country overview

#103
Saudi Arabia

Country stats

Rating Points
110
This indicator describes the overall rating of a given jurisdiction on several parameters according to cryptocurrency operations - market volume, crypto regulation, business climate, taxation framework.
Crypto Penetration
1.6%
Estimated percentage of crypto users out of the country's total population based on public data.
Legal Entities
0
Number of crypto companies registered in the country based on regulator data if available or other types of public data.
Regulation Points
0
An overall assessment of the granularity of crypto regulation in a given country. A high score is also given to countries where cryptocurrency transactions are highly regulated.
Amount of crypto users
574 400
Total amount of crypto users out of the country's total population based on public data.
Taxation points
50
This figure, according to our analysts' calculations, indicates the overall level of tax burden for cryptocurrency transactions in a given country. The higher the indicator, the lower the burden.
Market volume points
139
A rough estimate of this jurisdiction's retail crypto market relative to the rest of the world. The higher the indicator, the higher the market potential.
Status of crypto
No info
General status of cryptocurrency regulation in this jurisdiction.
Crypto payments
Ban
The legal status of cryptocurrency payments for goods and services in a given country based on information from regulators, public data and feedback from our community.
Security Level
Minor danger
The overall level of security in a given country based on open data.
Crypto Salaries
Ban
The legal status of cryptocurrency salaries to employers in a given country based on information from regulators, public data and feedback from our community.
Business Climate
No data
Overall assessment of the friendliness of this country for crypto-business. This indicator takes into account the cost of obtaining a license and the attitude towards crypto entities in the country.
Stablecoin Regulation
No data
This indicator is evaluating the regulation of stablecoins in a given country. Complex regulation means that it is possible to issue steiblcoins and obtain a license for this activity. Basic regulation means that the issuance of stablecoins is possible, but not all legal aspects are defined in the law. Standard regulation means that there is a legal practice of steylcoin circulation in a given country.
Bad Factors
No
This section describes the unfavorable economic factors for crypto-business in a given country. These are countries that are under sanctions or on the FATF grey list and other factors.
Types of licenses
No licenses exist
Good
Medium
Bad
intro

Saudi Arabia is the largest (1) economy in the Middle East by GDP. However, this conservative country still has no crypto regulation and a ban on crypto operations with banks. The crypto exchange is still not regulated in the country. However, it is not prohibited to operate with crypto through foreign online exchanges and P2P platforms. In addition, local crypto investors use the financial infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates for this purpose.

Saudi Arabia is doing a lot to liberalize its economy further and attract foreign investment and labor. One of the consequences of this policy will be lifting the ban on transactions with cryptocurrencies.

Security level

Saudi Arabia has a Minor danger security level according to our rating. Jurisdiction has 75.7 points (from 100) for safety level in Numbeo crime rating (2). The homicide level (3) is 0.8 per 100,000 inhabitants a year.

Crypto Payments

We need to get information about crypto payments and their regulation in Saudi Arabia. Please contact with us, if you have it.

Crypto Salaries

We do not have information about crypto salaries and their regulation in Saudi Arabia if you have it.

Legal

Saudi Arabian regulators stated in 2018 (4) that cryptocurrency trading is illegal in the kingdom due to “their negative consequences and high risks on the traders as they are out of government supervision.” At the same time, foreign crypto exchanges operate legally in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), which also acts as the kingdom’s national banking regulator, appointed (5) Mohsen AlZahrani in 2022 to lead its virtual assets and central bank digital currency program. This hire potentially indicates a change in the country’s approach to cryptocurrencies, which regulators have tended to treat with suspicion. 

As for 2025 Saudi Arabia still haven't adopted its crypto regulation framework. However, local economist has called in 2025 (6) Gulf States to create unified crypto regulation framework. Also developing regulation in the UAE and Bahrain may probably speed up this process in 2025.

Taxation
Tax nameIndex
PIT tax Min0
PIT tax Max0
Corporate tax (CIT)0
Min Individual CGT (for crypto)0
Max Individual CGT (for crypto)20
Wealth tax Min0
Wealth tax Max0
PIT

Saudi Arabia does not (7) impose any personal income tax.

CIT

Headline CIT rate is 20% by PWC (8).

CGT

Capital gains are subject (8) to the average tax rate applicable to the taxpayer. Non-resident capital gains tax rate is 20%.

Links

1)MENA region: Gross domestic product (GDP) 2022 by country. Article

2)Crime Index by Country 2023 Mid-Year

3)List of countries by intentional homicide rate

4)Is Saudi Arabia changing its approach to cryptocurrencies? Article

5)THE STANDING COMMITTEE FOR AWARENESS ON DEALING IN UNAUTHORIZED SECURITIES ACTIVITIES IN THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET (FOREX) WARNS: “THE VIRTUAL CURRENCIES ARE NOT REGULATED INSIDE THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA. “ Article

6)Cryptonews Saudi Economist Urges Gulf States to Develop Unified Crypto Payment Regulations

7)Saudi Arabia Income Tax 2023: Income Tax Regulations in Saudi Arabia for Expats. Article

8) Overview. PWC

Last update: February 2025