Tadawul trading screen
The Saudi capital market opens today, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, to all categories of foreign investors, enabling them to invest directly.
This follows the Capital Market Authority (CMA) Board’s approval of a regulatory framework allowing non-resident foreign investors to invest directly in Tadawul’s Main Market (TASI).
Accordingly, the capital market, across all its segments, is now accessible to various categories of investors worldwide for direct participation.
The approved amendments aim to broaden and diversify the investor base permitted to invest in TASI, supporting investment inflows and enhancing liquidity levels.
The approved amendments abolished the concept of a qualified foreign investor (QFI) in the main market, allowing all categories of foreign investors to enter the market without the need to meet qualification requirements.
The amendments also abolished the regulatory framework for swap agreements, which had been used as an option to enable non-resident foreign investors to obtain only the economic benefits of listed securities, and instead allow direct investment in shares listed on TASI.
The CMA noted that these approved amendments are in line with its gradual approach to opening the market following several previous phases, to be followed by further complementary phases aimed at enhancing market openness and positioning the capital market as an international market that attracts greater foreign capital inflows.
Tadawul trading screen
The Saudi capital market opens today, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, to all categories of foreign investors, enabling them to invest directly.
This follows the Capital Market Authority (CMA) Board’s approval of a regulatory framework allowing non-resident foreign investors to invest directly in Tadawul’s Main Market (TASI).
Accordingly, the capital market, across all its segments, is now accessible to various categories of investors worldwide for direct participation.
The approved amendments aim to broaden and diversify the investor base permitted to invest in TASI, supporting investment inflows and enhancing liquidity levels.
The approved amendments abolished the concept of a qualified foreign investor (QFI) in the main market, allowing all categories of foreign investors to enter the market without the need to meet qualification requirements.
The amendments also abolished the regulatory framework for swap agreements, which had been used as an option to enable non-resident foreign investors to obtain only the economic benefits of listed securities, and instead allow direct investment in shares listed on TASI.
The CMA noted that these approved amendments are in line with its gradual approach to opening the market following several previous phases, to be followed by further complementary phases aimed at enhancing market openness and positioning the capital market as an international market that attracts greater foreign capital inflows.
