Sahm App Opens Saudi Market to Global Retail Investors with Zero Commissions

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 17-03-2026

3 min

Sahm App now lets international retail investors trade Saudi-listed securities directly.

Regulatory changes in January fully opened Tadawul to all foreign investors.

Users can buy equities, ETFs and REITs with “lifetime zero” commission.

The app offers Saudi and US shares, easing cross-border portfolio access.

The reform signals a maturing market, testing onboarding and fee sustainability.

Saudi Arabia’s capital market has taken another step onto the global stage, and this time it’s retail investors worldwide who are being invited in.

Sahm App, a Saudi-based brokerage platform licensed by the Capital Market Authority (CMA), has rolled out services that allow eligible international investors to trade directly in Saudi-listed securities. The move follows regulatory changes announced on 6 January 2026 and implemented from 1 February, effectively opening the Saudi market to all categories of foreign investors.

For years, access to Tadawul felt, at least from the outside, like a bit of a faff unless you were an institutional player or navigating complex qualification rules. Now, through a single digital platform, international users can trade Saudi equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and real estate investment trusts (REITs). It’s a fairly significant broadening of access, and one that places Saudi Arabia more firmly on the radar of global retail portfolios.

Sahm says it is offering lifetime zero brokerage commission on Saudi stock trades, a detail that will likely catch the eye of cost-conscious investors. In a region where transaction fees can quietly eat into returns, that pricing strategy could prove spot on. The company reports more than one million users in Saudi Arabia already, suggesting it is not exactly starting from scratch.

The app is available on iOS, Google Play and Huawei AppGallery, and also offers access to US equities alongside Saudi listings. That dual-market access feels deliberate. On one hand, it allows local investors to look outward. On the other, it gives international investors a smoother entry point into the Kingdom’s market without juggling multiple accounts.

From an Arageek perspective, we’ve seen how regulatory tweaks can suddenly unlock momentum for startups and fintech platforms across the region. I still remember speaking to a young founder in Riyadh last year who said making markets more accessible was “definately” the missing piece for broader retail participation. Moves like this suggest the pieces are being put in place.

Of course, regulatory reform is only one part of the puzzle. Education, transparency and investor confidence matter just as much. That said, widening access to a market the size of Saudi Arabia’s is no small thing. With sectors ranging from energy and banking to fast-growing tech plays, the diversification argument is compelling.

I reckon the real test will be how smoothly onboarding works for investors outside the Gulf, and whether the zero-commission model remains sustainable in the long run. On the flip side, if execution matches ambition, Sahm could help shift perceptions of Saudi equities from niche allocation to mainstream option.

For MENA’s startup and fintech ecosystem, that’s not just a regulatory update. It’s another signal that the region’s financial infrastructure is maturing, steady, pragmatic, and increasingly open for business. And believe it or not, that kind of steady progress is often what changes the game.

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