AISaudi banks held SAR 5.26 trillion of assets in September 2026, up 6.7% in a year, and earned SAR 73.6 billion in the first nine months, up 6.8%. Profit growth has halved since 2025, deposits are harder to win, and open banking, new digital banks and 371 fintechs now compete for the same customers. For banks, payments firms, fintechs and wealth managers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, 2026-27 is about funding, faster onboarding and AI that a regulator can audit.
assets of Saudi commercial banks in September 2026, up 6.7% in a year.
SAMA via Argaam, 2026of Saudi retail payments were electronic in 2025, 14.6 billion transactions, up from 79% in 2024.
SAMA, 2026fintechs operating in Saudi Arabia at the end of August 2026, against a target of 525 by 2030.
SAMA Governor, 2026Riyadh in the Global Financial Centres Index, September 2026, up 15 places, and 27th for fintech.
GFCI 40 via Arab News, 2026In brief
The four things to know before you plan.
- Saudi banks earned SAR 73.6 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 6.8%, against 16% growth in 2025, and Fitch puts the loan-to-deposit ratio at a record of about 108% (Argaam, Fitch).
- Open banking is licensed in Saudi Arabia since March 2026, with more than 337,000 connected accounts, and the UAE’s Al Tareq platform ran its first live payments in 2026 (SAMA, ADIB).
- The Saudi Main Market has been open to all foreign investors since 1 February 2026, and Riyadh rose 15 places to 46th in the Global Financial Centres Index.
- UAE bank assets reached AED 5.74 trillion in August 2026, up 12.9%, and Egypt’s instant payments processed EGP 4.33 trillion in one quarter (CBUAE, CBE).
The market, country by country
| Market | Banking in 2026 | 2026 signal | What to watch in 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Bank assets SAR 5.26tn (September, up 6.7%); credit SAR 3.46tn (August, up 7%); nine-month profit SAR 73.6bn, up 6.8% | Open banking licensing since March; 371 fintechs; Main Market open to all foreign investors since February | Deposit competition and funding; the 49% foreign-ownership cap review; the IPO pipeline; more open-banking licences |
| United Arab Emirates | Bank assets AED 5.74tn (August, up 12.9%); credit up 18.1% (Q2); capital adequacy 17.0% | Al Tareq live payments; Aani 12.5m users; 36 licensed fintechs; DIFC 1,933 fintech and AI firms | Central bank law compliance after the September 2026 deadline; responsible AI guidance; digital dirham rollout |
| Egypt | Banks’ H1 2026 net profit EGP 373.1bn; return on equity 33.9% | Instant payments EGP 4.33tn in Q2; inclusion 79%; first digital bank licence (onebank) | Data protection enforcement from November 2026; CIB’s yomo digital bank; the 2026-2030 inclusion strategy |
Sources: SAMA via Argaam and Okaz; Central Bank of the UAE; Central Bank of Egypt via Ahram Online and Daily News Egypt. Insurers are covered in our separate Insurance Outlook. Qatar is not covered in this edition.
Six shifts to plan for
What is changing in the market, with the evidence for each shift.
3.1Bank growth slows, funding tightens
Listed Saudi banks earned SAR 92.5 billion in 2025, up 16%, and SAR 73.6 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 6.8% (Argaam). Bank credit reached SAR 3.46 trillion in August 2026, up 7% (SAMA via Okaz). Fitch puts the loan-to-deposit ratio at a record of about 108% at the end of 2025, analysts describe liquidity as relatively tight, and banks are competing for deposits (Argaam). New residential mortgages fell 5.5% in the second quarter, while SME lending rose 33% to SAR 468 billion, 11.5% of all credit. Deposit pricing, retention and cross-sell now decide margins.
3.2Open banking becomes a business
SAMA began licensing fintechs to provide open banking services on 26 March 2026, after the sandbox phase. Lean Technologies, Tatbiq Darahem and Malaa are among the first licensees, and Saudi Arabia counts more than 337,000 open-banking-connected accounts (SAMA). Tamara reports 32% higher financing approval rates using open-banking cash-flow data. In the UAE, the first live Al Tareq open-finance payment ran in January 2026, and ADIB became the first bank licensed as a third-party provider in April. Consent, shared account data and pay-by-bank now sit inside onboarding and lending.
3.3Payments are real-time and cashless
Electronic payments reached 85% of Saudi retail payments in 2025, with 14.6 billion transactions, led by mada at the point of sale and online (SAMA), and 32 payment companies are licensed. The UAE’s Aani instant payments platform has more than 12.5 million users and transfers grew sixfold in a year (Central Bank of the UAE). Egypt’s Instant Payment Network processed 1.47 billion transactions worth EGP 4.33 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, for about 22 million customers (Central Bank of Egypt). Service teams need payment status, disputes and fraud flags on the same screen as the customer.
3.4Riyadh opens its capital market
Since 1 February 2026 the Saudi Main Market has been open to all foreign investors, with the qualified foreign investor regime removed (Arabian Business). Foreign investors held 4.72% of market capitalisation in August 2026, and the 49% cap on aggregate foreign ownership is under review under a new Capital Market Authority chair (Argaam, EnterpriseAM). Listings have slowed: three IPOs raised SAR 522.5 million in the first eight months of 2026, against 29 in the same period of 2025. Riyadh rose 15 places to 46th in the Global Financial Centres Index. Brokers and wealth managers need onboarding and service built for international clients.
3.5Fintechs and digital banks compete for customers
Saudi Arabia has 371 operating fintechs and more than SAR 30 billion of cumulative fintech investment (SAMA Governor). STC Bank and D360 are live, and Vision Bank received its SAMA approval in September 2025. Tabby raised USD 233 million at a USD 6.5 billion valuation in September 2026 and holds SAMA consumer and SME finance licences. The UAE central bank has licensed 36 fintechs, DIFC hosts 1,933 fintech, AI and innovation firms (up 39%), and Egypt licensed its first digital bank, onebank, in March 2026. Incumbents win on onboarding speed and relevant offers.
3.6AI and data rules are enforced
Saudi Arabia’s data protection authority had issued 48 enforcement decisions by January 2026, with fines of up to SAR 5 million and unsolicited marketing a common issue (IAPP). In the UAE, the one-year deadline to comply with the new central bank law passed on 15 September 2026, and the central bank has issued guidance on responsible AI use by financial institutions (Hadef & Partners). Egypt’s data protection grace period ended on 31 October 2026 (Baker McKenzie). PwC found that 71% of the region’s financial services CEOs have a defined AI roadmap. Every customer record needs a current consent status and every AI decision an audit trail.
Three ways 2027 could go
One base case from published forecasts, and what to do if it runs slower or faster.
The IMF’s October 2026 World Economic Outlook assumes shipping through the Strait of Hormuz starts to reopen in March 2027, with shipping broadly back to normal by October 2027, and projects strong 2027 growth after a 2026 contraction (Saudi Arabia +7.9%, UAE +7.7%).
Protect funding and margin: deposit retention, pricing by segment, collections and cost-to-serve, while credit demand stays soft.
Be ready for demand: mortgage and SME applications, IPO and brokerage onboarding, and capacity in service without adding headcount first.
Dates to watch
- 1 November 2026Egypt’s data protection grace period has ended, so compliance is now enforceable.
- 2026-27The Capital Market Authority reviews the 49% cap on aggregate foreign ownership of Saudi listed companies.
- March 2027IMF base case: shipping through the Strait of Hormuz starts to reopen, with shipping back to normal by October 2027.
- 2030Saudi Arabia’s National Fintech Strategy targets 525 fintechs; 371 were operating in August 2026.
Where to start
Where Arcsen would start, and the page that explains each one.
Every shift in this outlook comes back to the same records: the customer, the account, the consent and the case. When they sit in separate core systems, spreadsheets and inboxes, nobody sees which customers are moving their deposits, onboarding takes days, and every regulator request starts from scratch. Financial Services Cloud keeps them on one record; our guide for Gulf banks and insurers explains how.
| Shift | What you need to manage | Where it runs in Salesforce |
|---|---|---|
| Bank growth slows, funding tightens | See deposit balances, rates and attrition by segment, and act before customers move | Financial Services Cloud with core banking data through MuleSoft, and Data Cloud segments |
| Open banking becomes a business | Capture consent once, use shared account data in onboarding and lending | Financial Services Cloud onboarding, with MuleSoft connecting open-banking providers |
| Payments are real-time and cashless | Show payment status, disputes and fraud flags with the customer record | Service Cloud, with payments data through MuleSoft |
| Riyadh opens its capital market | Onboard and serve foreign and institutional investors in English and Arabic | Financial Services Cloud for wealth and brokerage, with an Experience Cloud client portal |
| Fintechs and digital banks compete for customers | Open accounts in minutes and make the next offer relevant | Financial Services Cloud and Marketing Cloud, with Agentforce for guided offers |
| AI and data rules are enforced | Keep consent current and log every AI decision for audit | Consent records on the customer, and Agentforce with audit trails and human handover |
Four places to start:
Onboarding on one record
Financial Services Cloud brings KYC, documents, open-banking data and product applications onto one customer record, so accounts open in minutes.
Financial Services Cloud →Open banking integration
MuleSoft APIs connect core banking, cards, payments and open-banking providers to sales and service, with consent tracked end to end.
MuleSoft integration →Service with payments context
Service Cloud puts payment status, disputes and fraud flags in one view, for agents and for customers in the app.
Service Cloud →Governed AI agents
Agentforce handles routine requests and guided offers within the rules you set, with audit trails and a human handover.
Agentforce for banks →Priorities for the next 12 months
- Price and protect deposits: see deposit balances, rates and attrition by customer segment every week.
- Use open-banking data in onboarding and lending decisions, with consent captured once and reused.
- Give service teams payment, dispute and fraud data on one screen, in Arabic and English.
- Build onboarding for foreign and institutional investors if you broker or manage Saudi assets.
- Pick two high-volume customer requests for governed AI agents, and log every decision for the regulator.
- 17Pages
- 9Chapters
- 34Sources
Take the outlook into your planning meeting.
The same research as this page, designed as 17 landscape pages with charts, a 2026-27 timeline and a priorities checklist. Free to download and share with your team.
Questions leaders ask
How big is the Saudi banking sector?
Saudi commercial banks held SAR 5.26 trillion of assets at the end of September 2026, up 6.7% in a year, and total bank credit was SAR 3.46 trillion in August 2026, up 7% (SAMA data via Argaam and Okaz).
How fast are Saudi bank profits growing?
Listed Saudi banks earned SAR 92.5 billion in 2025, up 16%, and SAR 73.6 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 6.8%. Analysts expect margins to stay under pressure from interest rates and tight liquidity (Argaam).
Is open banking live in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. SAMA began licensing fintechs to provide open banking services on 26 March 2026, and the SAMA Governor reported more than 337,000 open-banking-connected accounts in September 2026.
Can foreign investors buy Saudi shares directly?
Since 1 February 2026 the Main Market has been open to all foreign investors, without the qualified foreign investor regime. A 49% cap on aggregate foreign ownership of a listed company remained in place in August 2026 and is under review.
How big is the UAE banking sector?
Total UAE bank assets reached AED 5.74 trillion in August 2026, up 12.9% in a year, and gross credit grew 18.1% in the year to June 2026 (Central Bank of the UAE).
Other outlooks for 2026-27
Eight more sectors, researched and sourced the same way.
Insurance outlook
Premiums growing faster than profits, risk-based capital from January 2027, consolidation and rising health costs.
Read the outlook →Travel and transportation outlook
Recovery after the 2026 disruption, Saudi domestic travel, new airlines and rail, biometrics and AI.
Read the outlook →Retail and distribution outlook
Resident-led demand, electronic payments, paid membership, retail media, Egypt’s prices and e-invoicing.
Read the outlook →Public sector outlook
Agentic AI in government, published citizen-experience scores, single front doors and fewer steps.
Read the outlook →Healthcare outlook
Saudi health clusters, virtual care at scale, UAE health records, Egypt’s insurance rollout and supervised AI.
Read the outlook →Education outlook
National admissions platforms, AI in the curriculum, Dubai’s private-sector growth and cross-border recruitment.
Read the outlook →Automotive outlook
Deferred demand, weak brand loyalty, Chinese brands, aftersales, EV charging and new Saudi plants.
Read the outlook →Manufacturing outlook
Supply routes, local content rules, Saudi factory growth, Egypt’s exports and service on the installed base.
Read the outlook →Talk to the people behind this outlook
To discuss what it means for your organization, contact us directly.
Planning for 2026-27?
Talk to the people delivering Salesforce, Sitecore and Agentforce in Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha and Cairo.
Sources and method
Arcsen is a Salesforce Summit Partner and Sitecore partner with teams in Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha and Cairo. This outlook uses official statistics, regulator and government publications, company filings and established research, checked on 3 November 2026. Where a figure comes from a news report of official data, the source below names both. We update this page as new data is published.
- Saudi banks’ monthly profits and assets, September 2026, Argaam, citing SAMA, 29 October 2026.
- Saudi banks’ nine-month profits near USD 20 billion, Asharq Al-Awsat, 27 October 2026.
- Saudi banks’ profits set to grow; interest rates, liquidity weigh on margins: analysts, Argaam, 26 October 2026.
- Saudi banks sector report 2025, Argaam, 2026.
- Saudi bank credit and mortgage lending, August 2026, Okaz, citing SAMA, 5 October 2026.
- Saudi banks’ liquidity and asset quality under the 2026 regional disruption, EnterpriseAM, citing Fitch, 15 April 2026.
- New residential mortgages, Q2 2026, Amlak, citing SAMA, 5 August 2026.
- Saudi SME lending climbs 33% to USD 125bn as credit share expands, Arab News, 6 April 2026.
- E-Payments account for 85% of total retail payments in 2025, SAMA, 12 April 2026.
- Keynote speech, Money20/20 Middle East, BIS (SAMA Governor), 15 September 2026.
- SAMA commences licensing of fintech companies to provide open banking services, SAMA, 26 March 2026.
- SAMA licenses Tatbiq Darahem to provide open banking services, SAMA, 10 May 2026.
- Money20/20 Middle East opens in Riyadh with licensing, not launches, as the test, The Fintech Times, 14 September 2026.
- Saudi Arabia opens capital market fully to foreign investors from February 2026, Arabian Business, 6 January 2026.
- New CMA leadership puts foreign caps and IPO reform back in focus, EnterpriseAM, 25 August 2026.
- Saudi Arabia logs fewest IPOs in first eight months of 2026, Argaam, 3 September 2026.
- Riyadh surges in global financial centers ranking as Dubai holds top 10 spot, Arab News, 19 September 2026.
- Tabby hits USD 6.5 bn valuation on Series F round, EnterpriseAM, 15 September 2026.
- SAMA grants Vision Bank non-objection to start operations, SAMA, 15 September 2025.
- The UAE Central Bank issues its 2025 Annual Report, Central Bank of the UAE, 9 April 2026.
- UAE Monetary, Banking and Financial Markets Developments, Q2 2026, Central Bank of the UAE, 2026.
- UAE banking sector, August 2026: total assets hit Dh5.74 trillion, Emirates 24/7, citing CBUAE, 7 October 2026.
- Aani: 12.5 million users and instant transfers in 3 seconds, Central Bank of the UAE, 10 April 2026.
- ADIB becomes the first bank licensed as a third-party provider under Al Tareq, ADIB, 16 April 2026.
- UAE Central Bank Law: 2026 developments and the September 2026 reconciliation deadline, Hadef & Partners, 26 August 2026.
- DIFC records industry-leading achievements in H1 2026, Dubai Media Office, 28 July 2026.
- Egypt’s IPN records 1.47 bln transactions worth EGP 4.33 tln in Q2 2026, Ahram Online, October 2026.
- Egypt financial inclusion rate climbs to 79% by end-June 2026, Ahram Online, 6 August 2026.
- The Central Bank grants onebank the first licence to operate digital banking in Egypt, Egypt Innovate, 12 March 2026.
- Egypt banks’ net profit, H1 2026, Daily News Egypt, citing CBE, 26 September 2026.
- Egypt: Personal Data Protection Law update, Baker McKenzie, 7 October 2026.
- Saudi Arabia’s data protection authority steps up enforcement, IAPP, 25 February 2026.
- 29th CEO Survey: Middle East financial services findings, PwC Middle East, 25 February 2026.
- Saudi Arabia to outpace global growth with 7.9% expansion in 2027: IMF, Arab News, 13 October 2026.