A Fintech Sector Growing Rapidly Under SAMA's Regulatory Innovation Umbrella
The Saudi Central Bank leads one of the region's most advanced fintech regulatory environments, through its regulatory sandbox program allowing startups to test their products before full licensing. This advanced regulatory model means startups in this sector need a lawyer who understands the full licensing path from experimentation through to permanent operation.
Sandbox and Permanent Licensing Before SAMA
We help startups understand sandbox and permanent licensing requirements before SAMA, and review their business models from a regulatory standpoint to ensure compliance with the target licensing category's requirements, whether payments, lending, or automated investment advisory.
Anti-Money-Laundering Compliance
We track ongoing anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing compliance for fintech companies, including designing customer due diligence procedures and suspicious transaction reporting mechanisms required by regulation.
Protecting Customer Financial Data
Fintech companies handle extremely sensitive financial data, and we help them design data protection policies compliant with the Personal Data Protection Law, accounting for the additional requirements SAMA imposes specifically on financial data.
Funding Rounds and Investor Agreements
We help fintech startups draft shareholders agreements and investment documents for successive funding rounds, reviewing valuation and liquidation preference terms in a way that protects founders' interests without deterring institutional investors.
Partnerships With Banks and Traditional Financial Institutions
Many fintech companies adopt a partnership model with licensed banks instead of direct licensing, and we help draft these partnerships clarifying the allocation of regulatory and operational responsibility between the parties.
Intellectual Property in Algorithms and Financial Technology
We help startups protect their innovative algorithms and financial technology, whether through patents when eligible, or trade secret protection for what cannot be registered.
Mergers and Acquisitions in the Fintech Sector
We help mature fintech companies evaluate acquisition opportunities for smaller startups, and review the precise due diligence required in this sector, particularly regarding the target company's regulatory licensing status.
Digital Insurance as a Natural Extension of Fintech Services
We help emerging digital insurance (insurtech) companies understand SAMA's dual licensing requirements, whether as a direct insurer or a digital intermediary, a classification that fundamentally determines the permitted scope of activity.
How We Start With You
Send us your financial product idea or your current licensing stage on WhatsApp. We help you navigate SAMA's regulatory path with confidence, from the first idea through to full licensing.