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In Q2 2025, Saudi Arabia issued over 80,000 new commercial licenses, elevating the total active business registrations in the Kingdom to approximately 1.72 million. This milestone reflects a significant upswing in business dynamism as the country accelerates its Vision 2030 economic transformation.
Strategic Goals & Impact
Riyadh led with 28,181 new licenses
Makkah: 14,498 | Eastern Province: 12,985 | Qassim: 4,920 | Asir: 3,875
- AI uptake surged 34%, with 14,409 additional licenses (8,909 in Riyadh)
- Cloud/data analytics saw a 48% jump to 5,894 new entries.
- Franchise growth soared 64%, with 2,863 new businesses in retail, F&B, and services
- Newly enacted Commercial Register Law and Trade Names Law now permit nationwide operations under a single license, replacing redundant subsidiary registrations
- The Ministry enhanced anti-concealment measures to ensure accurate and transparent business data
Foreign investor registrations climbed by 38% (38,640)
GCC investors registered 31,488 licenses over 70,000 combined in Q2
- E‑commerce registrations now stand at 39,366, signaling rapid digital market growth
Women entrepreneurs secured 49% of new registrations
10,954 limited liability companies were launched during the quarter, alongside a rise in partnerships and joint-stock firms
Strategic Implications
This record-setting surge highlights the success of Saudi Vision 2030, aimed at diversifying the economy beyond oil. It underscores targeted investment in advanced sectors like AI, data, fintech, gaming, and entertainment. Regulatory reforms and digital infrastructure enhancements especially those simplifying licensing have powered private-sector resilience and entrepreneurial growth.
