NayaOne, a UK-headquartered sandbox-as-a-service platform, has officially entered the Saudi Arabian market by launching the Kingdom’s first fully Saudi-hosted platform. The launch, supported by the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT), is a strategic step toward accelerating digital innovation within Saudi Arabia’s financial sector, directly supporting Vision 2030’s objective of building an advanced, inclusive digital financial ecosystem.
The platform enables Saudi banks, insurers, and fintech firms to design, test, and launch new products within weeks by providing access to rich synthetic data assets and modular test environments. Hosting the platform locally eliminates data sovereignty concerns, allowing institutions to fast-track proof-of-concept cycles from months to days without compromising security or compliance.
NayaOne CEO Karan Jain highlighted the significance of local hosting: “Hosting our platform inside the Kingdom removes data-sovereignty friction and lets institutions move from idea to execution in weeks.” Several Saudi banks and fintechs are already utilizing NayaOne’s sandbox to test solutions in embedded finance, cybersecurity, SME lending, cross-border remittance, and AI adoption, with more expected to join soon.
This launch strengthens the vendor delivery infrastructure (VDI) layer in Saudi Arabia’s financial ecosystem, supporting secure and repeatable delivery of fintech solutions. The move also underscores growing UK-Saudi collaboration in fintech innovation, exemplified by recent UK government support and NayaOne’s role in the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s AI-focused sandbox initiative.
UK Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson CBE praised the partnership, emphasizing the UK’s commitment to global tech collaboration: “I’m delighted that NayaOne will help boost financial innovation in KSA, reflecting the strength of UK-Saudi collaboration in digital and financial innovation.”
Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector is rapidly expanding, projected to grow from $64 billion in 2024 to $87 billion by 2029, with a goal of hosting 525 fintech firms by 2030. NayaOne’s local presence positions it at the forefront of this growth, providing essential tools for fintech innovators.
AstroLabs Director of Expansion Alex Nicholls noted, “NayaOne’s expansion will accelerate the development of new products that meet market demands and support financial inclusion, making it a powerful catalyst for innovation in Saudi Arabia’s financial services.”
