Market Flash: Saudi Arabia Opens Up: A Securities Lending Market on the Rise
EquiLend data shows Saudi Arabian equities lending activity climbing by 64% over the past 18 months as the market deepens
Avg. Loan val (USD)
$1.34B
+106% vs H1 2025
Avg. Lendable (USD)
$15.8B
+103% vs H1 2025
Avg. Fee (bps)
337 bps
Securities on Loan
337
The breadth of Saudi equities in the lending universe has tripled year-on-year, from 111 to 344 securities on loan, and average lendable inventory is up 103% from H1 2025 to $15.8B. Average borrow value in 2026 is also already up over 106% on H1 2025. Sector diversity has also expanded beyond Energy: Materials, Financials and Health Care have all posted strong balance growth, and the IT sector has seen the sharpest relative move, up 223% since the start of 2025.
ACWA Power, the standout securities lending revenue generator of the past 18 months, leads the way in a market that has generated $23.6 million in securities lending revenue so far in 2026. Participant numbers are up, the number of lenders showing availability is up 166% with the number of active borrowers up 40%, reflecting a rapid broadening of Saudi Arabia’s lending ecosystem.
Saudi Arabia is one of the fastest growing lending markets in EMEA, and its trajectory reflects a broader opening to international and domestic participation. Subscribe to EquiLend’s Data & Insights to stay ahead of every development in this fast-growing market.
The EquiLend Edge
EquiLend’s short sale & financing data provides actionable intelligence on evolving market sentiment that traditional metrics may not capture.
Book a demo of EquiLend Data & Analytics today to receive these signals and more in real-time: https://equilend.com/contact-us/.
Bloomberg Terminal users can subscribe to EquiLend’s exclusive short selling and financing data by entering terminal shortcut APPS ORBISA
