Confidential Enquiries · Institutional Counterparties Only
Saudi Arabia Riyadh CMA SAR

Stock Loans Against Saudi Arabia-Listed Equity

Institutional securities-backed lending against shares listed on Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) — for controlling shareholders, founders, and family offices holding positions on the CMA-regulated Saudi Arabia market.

01 · The Market
Middle East & Africa

About Saudi Exchange (Tadawul).

Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) is the principal cash equity venue of Saudi Arabia. Established in 2007 (joint stock company; trading from 1985), it operates today under the regulatory oversight of the Capital Market Authority (CMA). The exchange’s principal indices are TASI (Tadawul All Share Index), MT30. Listing standards and continuing obligations are codified in the Listing Rules of the Saudi Exchange; CMA Rules on the Offer of Securities and Continuing Obligations.

The largest equity venue in the Middle East and one of the largest emerging-market venues globally. Foreign ownership opened progressively from 2015; the Saudi Aramco listing remains the largest IPO in history. Sharia compliance considerations are central to position-level structuring.

The exchange operates the following segments: Main Market; Nomu (Parallel Market for SMEs). Each segment imposes its own listing standards and continuing obligations, which interact with the firm’s eligibility analysis for institutional positions.

02 · Eligibility
For Institutional Positions

What qualifies on Tadawul.

Tadawul is among the deepest cash equity pools in the world. Eligibility analysis for institutional positions on Tadawul is principally a function of single-stock factors — free float, average daily trading volume, shareholder concentration, and the specific shareholder’s regulatory profile — rather than market-level liquidity constraints.

For any specific position on Tadawul, the firm’s eligibility review addresses: free float and average daily trading volume relative to the contemplated pledge size; the shareholder’s status (controlling shareholder, substantial shareholder, director, or otherwise) and the resulting disclosure profile; the issuer’s sector and the segment in which it is listed; any concurrent regulatory considerations (takeover-code mechanics, foreign-ownership caps, regulated-industry restrictions); and the specific structuring requirements of the contemplated transaction (LTV, tenor, currency, recourse profile, custody arrangement).

Indicative terms for a Tadawul-listed position are issued only after a review of the specific position. A published rate sheet is not used; the discipline of the structuring is itself the value.

03 · Disclosure
CMA Reference

Framework cited on Tadawul.

The principal regulatory reference on Tadawul is CMA disclosure rules. Operational mechanics, reporting levels, step thresholds, and per-transaction interpretation are governed by the underlying rules and the relevant national-law overlays. These are mapped against any contemplated transaction at the structuring stage in coordination with the borrower’s chosen counsel.

For controlling shareholders, directors, and other regulated holders, additional regimes apply on Tadawul — including the takeover-code mechanics of the Saudi Arabia market, insider-dealing rules under the CMA framework, and listing-rule restrictions on dealings during defined windows. The disclosure footprint of any contemplated transaction is mapped at the structuring stage; sequencing, language, and concurrent regulatory communications are managed accordingly.

References above are public regulatory citations published for information only. They are not legal advice. The primary sources — the Listing Rules of the Saudi Exchange; CMA Rules on the Offer of Securities and Continuing Obligations, the Capital Market Authority rulebook, and applicable statutory instruments — should be consulted directly. Each enquirer should obtain independent legal advice in the relevant jurisdiction for any specific transaction.

04 · Process
From Enquiry to Funding

The route to a Tadawul stock loan.

The firm’s engagement model is consistent across markets: five disciplined stages from confidential enquiry to capital deployment, with senior principals throughout. For Tadawul-listed positions, the structuring stage addresses the market-specific factors above — settlement under the Tadawul conventions, custody arrangements with a Saudi Arabia-qualified custodian, SAR-denominated and cross-currency options, and disclosure timing under the CMA regime.

See the full process →

05 · FAQ
Tadawul-Specific Questions

What people most often ask about Tadawul.

Q · 01 What is the typical loan-to-value for a stock loan against Tadawul-listed positions?
LTV on Tadawul is calibrated to the specific position. The principal drivers are the underlying’s free float, average daily trading volume, volatility, and the borrower’s regulatory profile. For a large-cap, high-volume Tadawul name, LTV is materially higher than for a thinly-traded or recently-listed position. A non-recourse structure runs at lower LTV than a full-recourse structure on the same underlying. Indicative ratios are issued only after a review of the specific Tadawul position; there is no published rate sheet.
Q · 02 Which Tadawul-listed segments are eligible for stock loans?
Eligibility is assessed case by case. The firm considers positions across the segments operated by Saudi Exchange (Tadawul): Main Market; Nomu (Parallel Market for SMEs). Higher-tier (premium / large-cap / main-market) segments are typically more straightforward to structure than growth / SME segments, principally because of free-float and liquidity differences.
Q · 03 In which currency can a Tadawul stock loan be denominated?
The default is SAR, the listing currency. Cross-currency structures, for example, financing an SAR-denominated Tadawul position with a USD or EUR loan, are common and routinely available. The cross-currency element introduces hedging, settlement, and tax considerations that are addressed in the documentation.
Q · 04 Are there foreign-ownership constraints on Tadawul-listed shares relevant to a pledge?
Foreign-ownership rules vary by issuer and by sector on Tadawul; regulated sectors (banking, telecoms, defence, natural resources, and others) commonly carry ownership caps and notification requirements that interact with collateralised structures. The firm’s structuring review addresses these expressly for any specific position.
06 · Other Middle East & Africa
Adjacent Markets

Countries adjacent to Saudi Arabia.

United Arab Emirates · Israel · South Africa · Qatar

All countries →

A specific Saudi Arabia position to discuss?

Submit a confidential enquiry. A senior principal will respond within one business day.