🌍 Middle East & Africa
Crypto & taxes in Saudi Arabia
- Personal capital gains
- No personal income tax or capital gains tax for resident individuals
- Regulatory framework
- No comprehensive crypto framework; legal ambiguity, framework expected in 2026
- Banks
- Since 2018 banks are barred from facilitating crypto operations; no licensed local exchange
- Zakat
- For Muslim residents/citizens, Zakat (2.5%) may apply to held assets
Crypto regulation
Saudi Arabia has no comprehensive crypto framework yet: SAMA (central bank) and the CMA (markets authority) have issued joint risk warnings and since 2018 barred banks from facilitating crypto operations, though without a formal ban on individual holding. SAMA-CMA working groups are developing a full framework expected in 2026, and nationally regulated stablecoins are under study within Vision 2030.
Taxation
Resident individuals pay no personal income tax and no capital gains tax, so there is no direct tax on individuals' crypto gains. Muslim citizens/residents may owe Zakat (2.5%) on wealth; businesses remain subject to corporate income tax and Zakat.
Useful information
Despite no personal taxes, the environment is restrictive and uncertain: no licensed local exchange and crypto-hostile banking channels. Residents should await the 2026 framework before significant operational exposure and watch SAMA/CMA developments closely.