Saudi Arabia issues 123,000 new business licences in Q4 2025 as commercial activity accelerates

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce has released its business sector bulletin for the fourth quarter of 2025, highlighting continued expansion and structural change across the Kingdom’s commercial landscape.

The bulletin points to sustained growth in business formation, corporate structures and emerging sectors aligned with Saudi Arabia’s long-term economic transformation agenda.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, more than 123,000 new commercial registers were issued during the fourth quarter of 2025, taking the total number of commercial registers across the Kingdom to more than 1.86m.

Key indicators showed that the number of establishments increased by 20 per cent over the past five years, bringing the total to more than 1.2m businesses nationwide.

Business growth in Saudi Arabia

The bulletin highlighted significant growth in formal corporate structures. Limited liability company registers rose by 183 per cent to more than 571,000, while joint-stock company registers increased by 50 per cent, reaching 4,733, compared with 2020 levels.

These figures reflect a broader shift towards more structured and scalable business models across the Saudi economy.

The Ministry of Commerce also pointed to strong momentum in a number of high-potential sectors. These include:

• Artificial intelligence
• Electronic games
• Cybersecurity
• Vehicle charging station operations
• E-commerce
• Healthcare

The bulletin noted that growth in these activities aligns closely with Vision 2030 objectives, supporting diversification, innovation and the development of future-ready industries across the Kingdom.