Saudi Arabia Captures $3.9 Billion of GCC Private Debt as 2025 Demand Jumps 8.2x
Updated
Updated · ZAWYA · Jun 22
Saudi Arabia Captures $3.9 Billion of GCC Private Debt as 2025 Demand Jumps 8.2x
3 articles · Updated · ZAWYA · Jun 22
Summary
$3.9 billion of the GCC’s $4.1 billion private debt deployment in 2025 went to Saudi Arabia, leaving the UAE with about $211 million and Bahrain with roughly $22 million.
An 8.2-fold jump from about $500 million in 2024 was driven by startups seeking non-dilutive capital for expansion, acquisitions, lending-book growth and platform scaling.
Fintech absorbed about 95.5% of total deployment—roughly $3.9 billion—with Tamara’s $2.4 billion, Lendo’s $740 million and Deem’s $400 million among the largest deals.
Private debt already exceeded venture capital’s $3.3 billion share of the GCC’s $7.4 billion startup funding mix in 2025, underscoring a shift toward earlier use of structured credit.
Stride Ventures said sovereign-backed capital, regulatory support and fintech-led asset-backed models are helping make private debt a core financing tool from Series A to pre-IPO.