Saudi riyal: everything about the currency of Saudi Arabia

History of the Saudi riyal (SAR)

The Saudi riyal has been the country's official currency since the foundation of Saudi Arabia in 1932. At the same time, the Saudi riyal was introduced into circulation in 1928, and before the state was founded, it was the main means of payment in Hejaz, a historical region on the Arabian Peninsula that included the cities of Mecca and Medina.

Before being renamed the Saudi riyal or rial, the currency was called the Hejaz riyal, and it was based on the Ottoman coin with a denomination of 20 Turkish kuruş.

After the foundation of Saudi Arabia, silver riyals were introduced, as well as half-riyals and quarter-riyals. The Saudi riyal replaced the Maria Theresa thaler and British gold sovereigns. In 1952, the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia was established, announced the transition to the gold standard, and set the first fixed exchange rate for the Saudi riyal. In the same year, the gold Saudi riyal was introduced, with a rate of 40 silver riyals.

In 1960, one Saudi riyal was equated to 20 qirshs (the currency of Jordan). Since 1986, the Saudi riyal has been pegged to the US dollar at a rate of 3.75 to 1. In 2025, the symbol of the national currency, the Saudi riyal, was approved.

Denominations of the saudi riyal

Like most currencies, the Saudi riyal is divided into 100 units — halalas, introduced in 1963. The international designation for the Saudi riyal is SAR.

Saudi riyal coins

Currently, Saudi riyal coins with denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 halalas are in circulation on the Saudi Arabian market. The coins currently in circulation were issued in 2016.

Saudi riyal coins with denominations from 1 to 50 halalas differ in size from 16 to 24 mm and weigh from 2 to 5.2 grams.

On the obverse, they feature the coin emblem, the title Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia himself. On the reverse, the denomination of the Saudi riyal coins is indicated in Arabic and English.

Saudi riyal banknotes

As of March 2026, serial banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 Saudi riyals are in circulation. In addition, there are limited-edition banknotes in denominations of 20 and 200 riyals.

Saudi riyal banknotes use modern anti-counterfeiting methods, including microprinting, watermarks, and holographic strips. Each Saudi riyal banknote features King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The banknotes differ in color and imagery, except for the king on the obverse.

• Five Saudi riyals (purple). On the front side — the Shaybah oil refinery, on the reverse — flowers;
• Ten Saudi riyals (brown). One side depicts the Murabba Palace, and the other — the King Abdullah Financial District;
• Fifty Saudi riyals (green). One side depicts Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem, the other — the Qibli Mosque and Jerusalem;
• One hundred Saudi riyals (red). One side depicts the Green Dome, the other — Medina;
• Five hundred Saudi riyals (blue). One side depicts the Kaaba, and the reverse — the Grand Mosque and Mecca.

Limited-edition Saudi riyal banknotes:

• 20 Saudi riyals (olive green and gray). The obverse features the "Group of Twenty," and the reverse — a map highlighting the G20 countries ("Group of Twenty");
• 200 Saudi riyals (gray). The obverse features Vision 2030 (an initiative of the Saudi Arabian government), and the reverse — the Grand Mosque and Mecca.

Cash in saudi arabian riyals

Cash in Saudi riyals is official legal tender, so it can be used for payments throughout the country. At the same time, cashless payments are widespread in Saudi Arabia, especially in tourist areas.

However, in some remote regions and small shops, only cash in Saudi riyals may be accepted, so this should be taken into account when traveling in Saudi Arabia. It should also be noted that ATMs for cash withdrawals in Saudi riyals may be available only in major cities.