Saudi FDI inflows reach SR159.1 billion in 2025

Saudi Arabia’s foreign direct investment inflows rose 33.5 percent in 2025 to SR159.1 billion, compared with SR119.2 billion in 2024, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The Kingdom’s total FDI stock increased 8.3 percent to SR1.06 trillion by the end of 2025. Net FDI inflows rose 1.7 percent to SR81.4 billion, from SR80 billion in 2024.

FDI outflows also increased, rising 98.5 percent to SR77.7 billion from SR39.2 billion the previous year. Construction activities made the largest contribution to total FDI inflows, at SR34.5 billion, or 21.7 percent. Manufacturing followed with SR33.4 billion, representing 21 percent of inflows.

Administrative and support service activities recorded SR22.4 billion in inflows, equivalent to 14.1 percent of the total. Among outflows, manufacturing ranked first at SR25.2 billion, or 32.4 percent. Construction followed at SR14.8 billion, accounting for 19 percent.

Wholesale and retail trade, including the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, recorded approximately SR11 billion in outflows, or 14.1 percent. By country, Luxembourg had the highest net FDI inflows at SR24.4 billion. The United Arab Emirates and Egypt each recorded SR9.4 billion, followed by Yemen at SR5.2 billion.

The UAE held the largest FDI stock by country, at SR170.7 billion, followed by Luxembourg at SR125.3 billion and the United States at SR73 billion. By activity, manufacturing accounted for the largest share of total FDI stock, at SR285.4 billion, or 27 percent. Wholesale and retail trade and vehicle and motorcycle repair followed at SR157.7 billion, or 14.9 percent, while financial and insurance activities reached SR133.1 billion, or 12.6 percent.

GASTAT defines foreign direct investment as a long-term investment relationship in which a foreign investor holds at least 10 percent of an enterprise’s voting power, giving the investor a degree of control or influence over decision-making.