46,900 New Companies Established in Saudi Arabia in H1 2026

Saudi Arabia continued its strong pace of business growth during the first half of 2026, with 46,900 new companies established across the Kingdom, reflecting ongoing momentum in commercial activity nationwide.

More than 2.9 million services were provided to business establishments in the first six months of the year. Alongside the newly established companies, this included the registration of 86,800 establishments and the verification of 3,500 online stores, underscoring the shift toward a more digital and formalized business environment.

By the end of the first half of 2026, active commercial registrations reached around 1.9 million. In the first quarter alone, more than 71,000 new commercial registrations were issued, bringing the total to approximately 1.89 million by the end of Q1. These included about 28,810 limited liability companies, 84 simplified joint-stock companies, eight joint-stock companies, and other business types. Of the total, roughly 1.27 million were sole proprietorships and about 623,080 were company registrations.

On the licensing side, more than 274,000 commercial licences were issued and renewed in the first half of the year, including about 97,000 new licences and 177,000 renewals. Construction, wholesale and retail trade, and accommodation and food services together made up roughly 53% of newly issued commercial registrations in early 2026.

Why it matters

For residents and business owners, the figures point to an expanding market with wider opportunities to start and operate ventures. Reforms this year have focused on streamlining procedures and expanding integrated online services. Business-related transactions can be completed through official digital channels, including the Ministry of Commerce e-services platform for company formation, قوى for labor and HR services, ناجز for corporate legal and notarization services, and نفاذ and توكلنا for unified digital identity across government services.

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