Saudi Arabia has strengthened its position in several business-related measures in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, recording notable gains in areas linked to commercial activity and corporate development.
The Kingdom ranked third worldwide for Creation of Firms, fourth for Equal Opportunity and seventh for Large Corporations, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The latest results also mark year-on-year improvements across all three indicators. Saudi Arabia moved up one position in Creation of Firms, three places in Equal Opportunity and two places in Large Corporations.
Its overall competitiveness ranking also improved, with the Kingdom placed 13th among 70 economies globally and third within the G20, behind the United States and China.
Regulatory overhaul supports business growth
The progress follows cooperation between government bodies and the private sector aimed at making it easier for businesses to operate, expand and adapt to changing market conditions.
As part of those efforts, 110 regulations were reviewed and updated. The reforms covered several areas of commercial activity, including company formation, registration, franchising, e-commerce and commercial disputes.
Among the key measures were updates to the Companies Law and its regulations, the Commercial Register Law, the Law of Tradenames, the Franchise Law and the E-Commerce Law.
The regulatory work also extended to commercial courts, movable-property financing, bankruptcy procedures and rules governing precious metals and gemstones.
Together, the changes form part of a broader push to modernise Saudi Arabia’s business framework and create a more supportive environment for companies operating in the Kingdom.
