Friends I travel in Saudi and many people ask me same question. Let me clear it.
Is Crypto Allowed in Saudi?
Not banned, not fully regulated. It's Grey Area. SAMA gives warning but no law says you will go to jail for holding $BTC. Banks cannot deal in crypto directly. That's why we use P2P. New regulation coming in H2 2026 under Vision 2030.
How Many Users in Saudi?
4.2 Million in 2025 (12% population). 7 Million projected in 2026 (20%+). Transaction volume grew 154% to $31 Billion. Saudi is fastest growing crypto market in MENA. $BTC and $USDT is most traded.
P2P and Payments?
90% users use P2P. Biggest platforms are Binance P2P, Bybit, OKX and Rain.
Best SAR payment methods:
- Al Rajhi, SNB, Alinma Bank Transfer
- stc pay, urpay (fastest)
- mada, Apple Pay, Visa card via partners
Fee is less than 1.5% on P2P.
Why Saudis Use Crypto?
1. Remittance - Expats sent SAR 165 Billion home in 2025. $USDT on Tron is cheaper and faster.
2. Dollar access - Easy USD hold without bank
3. Cashless future - 79% retail payments already cashless
Do You Pay Tax?
0% personal income tax. 0% capital gains tax for individuals. ZATCA takes nothing from your profit. Only 2.5% Zakat for Saudis if held 1 year. Companies pay 20% corporate tax. No VAT on crypto trades, only 15% on fees.
Saudi is not against crypto, Saudi is building future with crypto.
Are you in Saudi trading crypto? Which payment do you use - Al Rajhi or stc pay? Comment below!