The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has licensed Madd Balas Company to provide debt-based crowdfunding solutions in Saudi Arabia. The authorisation brings the number of SAMA-licensed debt-based crowdfunding providers to 14 and increases the total number of finance companies licensed by SAMA to 69. SAMA linked the licensing decision to its efforts to support the finance sector, improve the efficiency of financial transactions and promote innovative financial solutions for financial inclusion. It also reiterated the importance of dealing only with authorised financial institutions and referred to its website for the official list of licensed and permitted entities.