Riyadh | B
15 Dhu al-Qa'dah 1447 AH | May 2, 2026

Saudi Arabia continues to strengthen its position in the digital economy
by advancing to second place globally in data center attractiveness,
in an indicator that reflects its transformation into an emerging hub in the global digital infrastructure landscape.

Overview

A Bloomberg analysis showed that Saudi Arabia ranked second globally after the United States among the most attractive markets for data center projects, in a sector closely linked to artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

This progress is driven by key factors, most notably energy availability and land enablement, which together account for about 58% of market attractiveness, at a time when the world is adding approximately 22.8 gigawatts of new capacity expected to come online over the next three years.

The Kingdom has witnessed rapid growth in this sector, with capacity rising from 68 megawatts in 2021 to 440 megawatts in 2025, representing nearly a sixfold increase in four years, before reaching 467 megawatts in the first quarter of 2026, with growth exceeding 6% since the beginning of the year.

Saudi Arabia now hosts more than 60 data centers distributed across multiple regions, supported by advanced digital infrastructure, including:

• 99% internet penetration
• Fiber coverage reaching 5.8 million homes
• A tech market exceeding SAR 199 billion
• Local internet traffic surpassing 2.462 terabits per second

The Kingdom’s geographic position, linking Asia, Europe, and Africa, further enhances its ability to attract investments and expand service reach.

BETH Analysis

The figure should not be read merely as a high ranking,
but as a shift in Saudi Arabia’s position within the digital economy map:

From a consumer of digital infrastructure
to a hub for hosting and operation

Most importantly:

Data centers are no longer just technical infrastructure,
but a foundation of influence in the age of artificial intelligence

What has been achieved today
is not merely progress in a global ranking

but:

A strategic positioning at the heart of the future economy