Latest news with #InvestmentAccounts
Zawya
14-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi's CMA approves major reforms to ease investment account access for foreign and local investors
RIYADH — The Capital Market Authority (CMA) has approved a set of regulatory amendments designed to simplify the process of opening and managing investment accounts for a broader range of investors, including individual foreign investors in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The changes, effective immediately upon publication, aim to align the regulatory framework with ongoing technological advancements and the Kingdom's broader investment and economic goals. The amendments include updates to the 'Investment Accounts Instructions,' 'Rules for Foreign Investment in Securities,' and 'Capital Market Institutions Regulations.' This step is expected to enhance the overall attractiveness of the Saudi capital market by streamlining procedures, strengthening investor protections, and increasing market confidence both locally and internationally. One of the most notable changes is the expansion of investment opportunities for individual foreign investors residing in GCC countries. Under the new rules, these investors can now directly invest in shares listed on the Main Market—an opportunity previously restricted to swap agreements or limited to the debt, parallel (Nomu), fund, and derivatives markets. This shift introduces a new investor category into the Main Market, offering direct access and bolstering market liquidity and foreign participation. The CMA also approved measures allowing individual foreign investors who previously resided in Saudi Arabia or GCC countries to continue operating their investment accounts and investing in the Main Market after leaving the region, as long as the account was initially opened while residing in the Kingdom. This move is expected to maintain investor engagement and capital flow continuity beyond residency periods. Additionally, the reforms aim to ease account procedures for all categories of capital market institution clients, thereby expanding access and enhancing operational efficiency across the board. These developments follow a 30-day public consultation period launched on November 20, 2024, via the Unified Electronic Platform for Consulting the Public and Government Entities, affiliated with the National Competitiveness Center, and the CMA's official website. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Argaam
10-07-2025
- Business
- Argaam
CMA enables GCC residents to directly invest in TASI
The Capital Market Authority's (CMA) board approved a set of amendments aimed at facilitating the procedures for opening investment accounts for various categories of investors, as part of the draft to amend the "Investment Accounts Instructions, the Rules for Foreign Investment in Securities, and the Capital Market Institutions Regulations", to be effective as of the date of its publication. In a statement, the regulator said that the approval of this regulatory framework aims to align with the regulatory and technological developments in Saudi Arabia and facilitate investment in the Saudi capital market by improving the procedures for opening investment accounts, including new categories of investors, and regulating the operations related to these accounts. This will enhance the attractiveness of the Saudi capital market for both local and international investors, increase the level of investor protection, and strengthen the confidence of market participants, it added. The main approved elements include developing the requirements for opening an investment account for individual foreign investors residing in one of the GCC countries and expanding the types of securities they can directly invest in, including shares listed on the Main Market. Previously, their participation is limited to the debt market, the Nomu-Parallel Market, investment funds, and the derivatives market, while their ability to trade in the Main Market is limited to swap agreements as ultimate beneficiaries through capital market institutions or as clients of these institutions, where investment decisions are made on their behalf. This approval introduces a new category of investors to the shares listed on the Main Market, offering them a direct channel to invest in the Saudi capital market. This change is expected to attract more foreign investments, enhance market liquidity, and contribute to supporting the local economy. The approved amendments also allow individual foreign investors who previously resided in Saudi Arabia or one of the GCC countries to continue operating their investment accounts and invest in shares listed in the main market even after their residency has ended and they return to their home country, provided they have previously opened an investment account in Kingdom. In addition, the amendments aim to facilitate the procedures for opening and operating investment accounts for various categories of capital market institution clients. The approval of the Amendments came following the CMA's publication of the draft on November 20, 2024, regarding the ' Facilitating the Procedures for Opening and Operating Investment Accounts for Various Categories of Investors" on the Unified Electronic Platform for Consulting the Public and Government Entities (Public Consultation Platform) affiliated to the National Competitiveness Center and the CMA's website for public consultation for a period of (30) calendar days.
