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Saudi Central Bank
The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), formerly the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority until its 2020 renaming, is the central bank of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Central Bank
The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), formerly the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority until its 2020 renaming, is the central bank of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established by Royal Decree No. 30/4/1/1046 dated 25/07/1371H (20 April 1952) and operational from 4 October 1952, it is a financially and administratively independent legal entity organizationally linked to the King, headquartered in Riyadh (per SAMA official website, About/History pages). SAMA's core objectives are maintaining monetary stability, supporting financial sector stability and trust, and fostering economic growth (per SAMA Overview). Its mandates include issuing and regulating the Saudi riyal; formulating and implementing monetary policy and foreign exchange regulation; managing and investing foreign exchange reserves; supervising banks and other financial institutions; developing national payment, settlement, and fintech systems; acting as banker and advisor to the government; and ensuring customer protection (per SAMA Functions page). The Board of Directors, chaired by the Governor, oversees operations. As of May 2026, SAMA reported net foreign assets of SAR 1.743 trillion (approximately USD 465 billion at the official 3.75 peg), reflecting the scale of reserves under management (per SAMA Monthly Bulletin data). SAMA continues to advance Vision 2030-aligned initiatives in digital payments and financial resilience.
General information
Firm type
Bank / Wealth / Trust
Year founded
1952
AUM
$465B (May 2026)
Location
Region
Middle East
Country
Saudi Arabia
City
Riyadh
Corporate office
King Saud Bin Abdulaziz Street P.O. Box 2992, 11169, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Principals
Ayman M. Al-Sayari
Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors
Talal F. Al-Humoud
Vice Governor for Technical Affairs and Board Member
Abdulelah A. Aldeheem
Vice Governor for Executive Affairs and Board Member
Sheila Atheeb Alrowaily
Board Member
Abdullah Hassan Alabdulqader
Board Member
Rashed Abdulaziz Al-Rashed
Board Member
Frequently asked questions
What is the primary role of the Saudi Central Bank?
SAMA formulates and implements monetary policy, issues and manages the Saudi riyal, supervises financial institutions, manages foreign exchange reserves, develops payment systems, and acts as banker and advisor to the government to maintain monetary and financial stability while supporting economic growth.
When was the Saudi Central Bank established and under what previous name?
It was established by Royal Decree in April 1952 (operations began October 1952) as the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA); it was renamed Saudi Central Bank in November 2020 while retaining the SAMA acronym.
Where is the Saudi Central Bank headquartered?
SAMA is headquartered in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and is a financially and administratively independent legal entity organizationally linked to the King.
Who currently leads the Saudi Central Bank?
H.E. Ayman M. Al-Sayari serves as Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors; Vice Governors include Talal F. Al-Humoud (Technical Affairs) and Abdulelah A. Aldeheem (Executive Affairs).
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