Saudi Arabia: The Board of Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority made an announcement on foreign investment
The Board of Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority has announced foreigners can directly invest in listed and unlisted debt instruments. The decision has been issued in line with the Authority’s plan to develop the financial market through the Financial Leadership Programme. It is also part of the Financial Sector Development Programme, which is one of the main programmes to meet the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Under the Decision, all foreign natural and legal persons can directly invest in debt instruments. Non-resident foreigners cannot invest in the market as a direct investor in listed debt instruments and as a qualified foreign investor or final beneficiary in a swap agreement at the same time. A foreign person who invests directly in debt instruments cannot convert them into shares listed in the main market unless they are one of the categories of investors who are allowed to invest directly in shares listed on the main market, or becomes a final beneficiary in a swap agreement according to the provisions of the Authority’s instructions regarding swap agreements.