Saudi Arabia

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.

Overview

StatusRestricted
Risk Score55/100 (High Risk)
Regionmiddle east
CurrencySAR

Tax

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 CryptoNo
Staking TaxNo personal tax; corporate staking income subject to 20% CIT or 2.5% Zakat
Airdrop TaxNo personal tax on airdrops; corporate recipients subject to standard CIT

No crypto-specific tax guidance available.

Licensing

RequiredYes
RegulatorSAMA / CMA
FrameworkNo comprehensive crypto framework; CMA sandbox for digital assets launched 2024
Easevery_complex
Cost$50,000 - $200,000 (sandbox participation estimated)

DeFi

Status: Restricted

Stablecoins

Status: Restricted

NFTs

Status: unregulated

Mining

LegalNo
Electricity$0.048/kWh
Renewable1%
Infrastructuregood

Crypto mining is restricted in Saudi Arabia with limited permissions; electricity costs are relatively low but renewable energy share is minimal.

Geopolitics

Stabilitystable
SanctionsNo
Corruption Index53/100
Banking Accessrestricted

Last reviewed: 2026-04-13 · Data source: Soken Crypto Legal Map

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