Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)
Do I need a licence to provide open banking services in Saudi Arabia?
Content reviewed 2026-08-14 · How we check sources
Short answer
Yes, if you provide regulated open-banking services such as payment initiation or payment-account information as a service provider. SAMA began formal licensing of fintech open-banking service providers in March 2026 within its payments/open-banking framework.
What this means
Saudi open banking is no longer only a sandbox or framework-development topic. The payments implementing regulations already recognise Payment Initiation and Payment Account Information services, and SAMA has moved to formal licensing.
A technology supplier that only provides infrastructure to a licensed participant can have a different perimeter, so identify who provides the regulated service to the customer.
Official sources
SAMA — Implementing Regulations of the Law of Payments and Payment Services ↗SAMA — Open Banking ↗Ask with your entity, activity and regulator.
Regulatory research, not legal advice. This answer has the scope and review date shown above; your institution decides applicability.