Saudi Exchange

The beginnings of Saudi joint-stock companies date back to the mid-1930s, when "Arabia for Automobiles" was established as the first joint-stock company. By 1975, there were approximately 14 public joint-stock companies. The rapid economic expansion, along with the Saudization of part of foreign bank capital in the 1970s, led to the establishment of several major companies and joint-stock banks.

The market remained informal until the early 1980s when the government began to form an organized trading market with the required regulations. In 1984, a ministerial committee consisting of the Ministry of Finance and National Economy, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) was formed to regulate and develop the market. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency was the government body responsible for regulating and monitoring market activities until the Capital Market Authority was established in July 2003 under the Capital Market Law by Royal Decree No. (M/30). The Capital Market Authority is the sole regulator and supervisor of the capital market, issuing the necessary rules and regulations to protect investors and ensure fairness and efficiency in the market.