Saudi Arabia has no dedicated crypto legislation. SAMA/CMA joint committee declared virtual currencies "illegal" though no specific law prohibits them. Late 2025: announced plans for nationally regulated stablecoins under Vision 2030. Joined BIS mBridge CBDC project. No crypto licensing regime exists.
| Status | Restricted |
| Risk Score | 55/100 (High Risk) |
| Region | middle east |
| Currency | SAR |
| Capital Gains (Personal) | 0% - no personal income tax in Saudi Arabia |
| Capital Gains (Corporate) | 20% corporate income tax (Zakat at 2.5% for Saudi-owned entities); crypto trading gains treated as taxable income for corporate entities |
| VAT on Crypto | No |
| Staking Tax | No personal tax; corporate staking income subject to 20% CIT or 2.5% Zakat |
| Airdrop Tax | No personal tax on airdrops; corporate recipients subject to standard CIT |
No crypto-specific tax guidance available.
| Required | Yes |
| Regulator | SAMA / CMA |
| Framework | No comprehensive crypto framework; CMA sandbox for digital assets launched 2024 |
| Ease | very_complex |
| Cost (USD) | $50,000 - $200,000 (sandbox participation estimated) |
No detailed enforcement information available
| KYC Required | Yes |
| Travel Rule | Yes |
| FATF Member | Yes |
| FATF Status | compliant |
| FATF Body | FATF |
| Suspicious-Activity Reporting | No |
Status: Restricted
Status: Restricted
Status: unregulated
| Legal | No |
| Electricity Cost | $0.048/kWh |
| Renewable Energy | 1% |
| Infrastructure | good |
Crypto mining is restricted in Saudi Arabia with limited permissions; electricity costs are relatively low but renewable energy share is minimal.
| Stability | stable |
| Sanctions | No |
| Corruption Index | 57/100 |
| Banking Access | restricted_for_crypto |
Risk Factors
Saudi Arabia is not sanctioned. CPI 2025 score = 57 (rank 45/182), down from 59 in 2024. Governance stable under Vision 2030. Banks prohibited from crypto transactions without SAMA approval. Regional geopolitical context includes Yemen conflict and broader Middle East tensions.
Saudi Arabia has no dedicated crypto legislation. SAMA/CMA joint committee declared virtual currencies "illegal" though no specific law prohibits them. Late 2025: announced plans for nationally regulated stablecoins under Vision 2030. Joined BIS mBridge CBDC project. No crypto licensing regime exists.
Saudi Arabia is classified by FATF as: compliant.
Yes, licensing is required for VASPs.
KYC is mandatory for crypto businesses.
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Explore IT Services →Last reviewed: 2026-06-01 · Data source: Soken Crypto Legal Map
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