Tadawul Expands with Derivative Instruments, Future Contracts

An investor monitors a screen displaying stock information at the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia January 18, 2016. (Reuters)
An investor monitors a screen displaying stock information at the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia January 18, 2016. (Reuters)
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Tadawul Expands with Derivative Instruments, Future Contracts

An investor monitors a screen displaying stock information at the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia January 18, 2016. (Reuters)
An investor monitors a screen displaying stock information at the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia January 18, 2016. (Reuters)

In a bid to provide new opportunities for investors and hedge equity trading risks, the Saudi Stock Exchange, Tadawul, announced the launch of trading in derivative products on August 30.

In a statement on Tuesday, Tadawul said that the launch of the financial derivatives market was aimed at expanding the scope of opportunities in the Saudi market - one of the largest markets in the world in terms of size and liquidity.

Khalid Al-Hussan, Tadawul chief executive, said the move was “further evidence of our commitment to providing our investors with diversified, innovative products and services to meet all their needs.”

He noted that the first derivative to be traded would be an index futures product, the Saudi Futures 30, based on the MSCI Tadawul 30 index launched last year.

He emphasized that other sophisticated financial instruments would be introduced at gradual stages.

“Today, we can proudly say that our capital market is not only the largest in the region but also developing faster than most exchanges in terms of both the products and the services we offer,” Al-Hussan said in the statement.

Tadawul, is currently the only entity authorized to act as a stock market in the Kingdom, listing and trading in securities of public joint stock companies.

Following the Saudi Aramco IPO - the largest offering in history - the Saudi stock market rose to ninth among 67 financial markets in the International Federation of Stock Exchanges in terms of volume.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Tadawul CEO underlined that the new product would further attract investments in the Saudi market.

The derivatives launch falls within the Financial Sector Development Program initiative of the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy away from oil dependency.



Saudi Arabia Maintains Top Global Ranking in Cybersecurity Index

The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)
The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Maintains Top Global Ranking in Cybersecurity Index

The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)
The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)

Saudi Arabia has retained its position as the world’s leading nation in the Cybersecurity Index, according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025 released by the World Competitiveness Center of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland.

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and Chairman of the National Cybersecurity Authority, said this accomplishment adds to the Kingdom’s series of successes across all fields.

He attributed the progress to the leadership’s proactive vision in establishing a comprehensive cybersecurity sector, encompassing both security and development dimensions, at local and international levels.

Al-Aiban noted that Saudi Arabia’s cybersecurity ecosystem has undergone remarkable progress in a short span since the creation of the National Cybersecurity Authority and the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE), which serves as its strategic and technical partner.

Together, these two pillars form the foundation of the Kingdom’s cybersecurity model, which has strengthened national cyber resilience, advanced technological sovereignty, localized critical technologies, and bolstered information sharing and international cooperation.

The National Cybersecurity Authority is the central entity responsible for cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia and the national reference for all related affairs. Its mandate is to safeguard vital interests, critical infrastructure, and national security.

It also aims to drive the growth of the cybersecurity sector, promote innovation and investment, and establish policies, governance mechanisms, frameworks, standards, controls, and guidelines. These efforts are designed to create a secure and reliable Saudi cyberspace that enables economic growth and prosperity.