Point-of-sale spending fell 2.8% to SR14.19 billion ($3.79 billion) in the week ended 15 August across 249.68 million transactions, down 1.5%, while education transactions jumped 62.7% week on week to SR446.08 million. Food and beverages led at SR2.2 billion, down 3.7%, and Riyadh accounted for SR4.84 billion across 79.80 million transactions.
The 62.7% increase in education spending, despite a 2.8% overall decline, reflects a calendar effect rather than increased consumer confidence. Households shifted funds rather than increasing total spending.
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The insurance market doubled
Saudi Arabia's insurance market reached SR84 billion in 2025, up from SR42 billion in 2021, effectively doubling in four years. Health and motor insurance accounted for 89% of premium growth, with health insurance alone contributing to 68% of that increase. Growth is decelerating sharply: 26.9% in 2022, 22.7% in 2023, 16.3% in 2024, 10.7% in 2025.
The market doubled in four years while its growth rate halved twice, from 26.9% to 10.7%, as the sector moves from expansion into maturity, where the next phase competes on retention rather than acquisition.
Four billion dollars, free
Adobe, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and HUMAIN signed a partnership valued at more than $4 billion, giving more than 27 million citizens and residents aged 13 and above free access to Adobe Firefly Standard and Express Premium for 12 months. The agreement covers a culturally-tailored image generation model, Arabic right-to-left support, and free access for eligible startups through CODE and The Garage from early 2027.
$4 billion worth of software given to 27 million people is really a distribution strategy, not a donation. Adobe is securing its user base before anyone else can shape what creative tools look like in Arabic.
The money is moving closer
Assets under management in Saudi reached SR1.244 trillion at the end of 2025, from SR612 billion in 2020, with listed companies up 89% to 392, foreign ownership doubling to SR417 billion, and net foreign purchases on the Saudi Exchange running $1.6 billion in Q2 2026.
Doubling AUM and foreign ownership within five years indicates a market that has shifted in ownership, not just in value. Foreign owners often pose different questions to management than domestic owners.
