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Financial Services Sector Research Highlights

Report: Saudi Arabia’s MSEs and freelancers are driving employment and economic diversification

Micro-sized and small enterprises (MSEs) and freelancers are expanding rapidly in Saudi Arabia, contributing to employment generation, economic diversification and the Kingdom’s competitiveness...

Saudi Arabia’s digital payments sector drives Vision 2030 goals

In this Market Profile video, we explore how Saudi Arabia's rapidly evolving financial technology (fintech) sector, anchored by Vision 2030, is accelerating the Kingdom's digital transformation...

Report: Saudi Arabia’s fintech evolution – digital payments, inclusion and Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy places digital transformation at the centre of economic diversification. Financial technology (fintech) solutions, particularly digital payments, are helping to expand...

Report: Sustainable finance and ESG adoption advancing across Kuwait and the GCC

Kuwait is strengthening its role in the GCC’s transition towards sustainable finance and low-carbon economic growth, in line with Kuwait Vision 2035 and regional environmental, social...

Special Reports on the Financial Services Sector
Cash Transformation Report

Report: How has public-private collaboration boosted digital and cash transformation in the Bahamas?

Public-private collaboration aimed at boosting digital payments and reducing cash usage in the Bahamas has made gains in a relatively short timeframe. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, policymakers...
ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The financial sector's central role in tackling ESG issues in Mexico

Environmental, social and governance issues are a growing focus in Mexico, particularly social inclusion and transparency, followed by other governance and environmental matters. The financial sector has...
ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector

The regulatory landscape for Gulf financial service providers is changing, with growing awareness of the need for banking institutions to adopt sustainable finance frameworks and responsible lending...
Focus Report

Focus Report: Post-pandemic trends and opportunities on African stock exchanges

Although stock exchanges on the continent were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, recovery is starting to take shape. The crisis underlined the need to build resilience and diversify the investor base...

Report: How has public-private collaboration boosted digital and cash transformation in the Bahamas?
Report: The financial sector's central role in tackling ESG issues in Mexico
Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector
Focus Report: Post-pandemic trends and opportunities on African stock exchanges
 

Sultanate of Oman’s finance and leasing sector fuelling economic diversification

In this Growth Perspectives video, OBG shows how the finance and leasing sector is contributing to the Sultanate of Oman's economic diversification efforts. Amid global economic headwinds, the sultanate...

The Report: Qatar 2025
OBG
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Banking Sector Analysis

Qatar has one of the most well-capitalised and secure banking sectors in the Gulf, with its leading lender, Qatar National Bank, among the world’s largest-50 banks by market capitalisation. Central to the...

Financial Sector Analyses

Overview

Qatar’s strong fundamentals and regulations drive banking sector growth
OBG
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Qatar has one of the most well-capitalised and secure banking sectors in the Gulf, with its leading lender, Qatar National Bank Group (QNB Group), among the world’s largest-50 banks by market capitalisation. The sector weathered successive external challenges, from the economic contraction associated to the Covid-19 pandemic to more recent global challenges associated with fluctuations in hydrocarbons prices and geopolitical conflicts. Throughout, growth in credit and profit remained solid, both in the sector’s...

Analysis

Qatar’s banking sector modernises with regulatory focus on digital innovation
OBG
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With a robust digital infrastructure and a young, tech-savvy population, Qatar is well positioned to become a leading centre of financial innovation. The country’s financial authorities have taken decisive steps to modernise legislative and regulatory frameworks, aligning them with global best practices. At the same time, local banks, financial technology (fintech) start-ups and new market entrants are leveraging these reforms to roll out new products and services, accelerating the digital transformation of Qatar’s financial landscape...

Interview

Abdulla Mubarak Al Khalifa, Group CEO, Qatar National Bank Group
OBG
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On enabling sustainable financing and innovation

Interview

Abdul Hakeem Mostafawi, CEO, HSBC Middle East
OBG
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On trends towards digitalisation and the resilience of the sector

Analysis

Qatar’s banks adopt new technologies to enhance financial services
OBG
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Open banking has rapidly emerged as a transformative force in global finance, redefining traditional banking models by enabling secure, application programming interface (API)-driven data sharing and third party service integration. Valued at approximately $25.1bn in 2023 and poised to surge to $29.6bn by 2025 – ultimately eclipsing $306.6bn by 2035 – the global market’s projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.3% through 2035 underscores its potential to reshape financial services worldwide. Within the GCC...

Driving innovation and sustainability in Qatar's banking sector

Shahnawaz Rashid, Executive General Manager and Head of Retail Banking, Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ)

In this Global Platform video, Shahnawaz Rashid talks about the strategies for driving innovation and sustainability in Qatar's banking sector. Qatar has developed strong infrastructure, including roads...

The Report: Oman 2025
OBG
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Financial Services Sector Analysis

Oman’s financial services sector is experiencing steady growth, particularly in insurance and capital markets. In 2024 the insurance segment recorded increased revenue and profitability...

Financial Services in Emerging Markets

Economic View

Ahmad Jamal Zidan, General Manager, Arab Bank Syria

On adopting policies centred on stability and economic recovery

Economic News

Libya creates framework in pursuit of monetary stabilisation
OBG
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Libya’s public finances have long been characterised by institutional division with authorities in the east and west of the country pursuing separate budgets and development agendas. This fragmentation had previously fuelled inflation and widened hard currency deficits. In November 2025 the Libyan House of Representatives and the Tripoli-based High State Council signed the agreement on the Unified Development Programme, a framework intended to consolidate spending channels and unify development priorities across...

Economic News

Abdulkader AlHussrieh, Governor, Central Bank of Syria
OBG
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On reinforcing investor confidence by developing a functioning interbank market and deepening financial intermediation

Economic View

Ali Alragae, Secretary-General, Libyan Insurance Federation

On boosting penetration and the diversification of Libya’s insurance portfolio

Economic View

Mohammed Ali Addarrat, Chairman, Libyan Foreign Bank

On the changing commercial ecosystem and how governance reforms are evolving to align with international standards

Economic View

Kwabena Asante-Poku, Coverage Director, Ghana - British International Investment (BII)

On increasing finance for SMEs, women-led businesses and infrastructure development in Africa

Economic View

Eman Mojali, CEO, Bahrain National Insurance

On building a regulatory framework and consumer awareness to support growth

Economic View

Julian Opuni, Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Ghana

On the country’s commitment to inclusive finance

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