The Saudi Riyal (SAR) is the official currency of Saudi Arabia, issued by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). It has been pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate of 3.75 SAR per USD since 1986, making it one of the most stable currencies for cross-border transfers. Saudi Arabia is consistently one of the world's top remittance-sending countries, with millions of expatriate workers sending SAR home each year.
Since 1986, the Saudi Riyal has been fixed at exactly 3.75 SAR per 1 USD — a peg maintained by SAMA through currency reserves. This stability means there is virtually no exchange-rate volatility risk when converting SAR to USD or vice versa. For remittance senders, the main variable is not the SAR/USD rate itself but the spread applied when converting SAR into destination currencies like INR, PHP, PKR, or EGP. Providers set their own SAR-to-destination margins, which can vary widely — from under 0.5% on digital rails to over 3% at traditional exchange houses.
Saudi Arabia hosts roughly 13 million expatriate workers — about 38% of the country's total population — drawn by tax-free salaries in construction, healthcare, domestic work, and oil and gas. The World Bank consistently ranks Saudi Arabia among the top five remittance-sending countries globally, with outbound flows estimated at $33–38 billion per year. Key destination corridors include India (INR), Pakistan (PKR), the Philippines (PHP), Egypt (EGP), Bangladesh (BDT), and Indonesia (IDR). For these workers, remittance costs directly affect how much family members receive, making fee comparison especially important.
Expatriates in Saudi Arabia have several options for sending SAR abroad. Traditional channels include bank wires via Saudi banks (Al Rajhi, SNB, Riyad Bank), licensed exchange houses (Western Union, MoneyGram, local hawala networks), and fintech services like Wise. Crypto rails are increasingly available: providers like Rain (a Bahrain-regulated exchange with a strong Saudi user base) allow users to buy USDC or USDT with SAR, which is then sent on-chain and converted to the destination currency at the receiving exchange. RemitRoutes supports SAR as a send currency, comparing Rain and other on-ramps against traditional providers for each corridor.
The biggest hidden cost when sending SAR is the FX markup applied to the destination currency — not the SAR/USD step, which is fixed. A provider may advertise zero transfer fees but embed a 2–3% margin in the SAR-to-INR or SAR-to-PHP rate. Exchange houses in Saudi Arabia are also known for varying rates significantly depending on the branch and day. Digital asset rails typically offer tighter spreads: buying USDC with SAR on Rain and delivering USDC to a destination exchange carries a combined cost often under 1%, versus 2–4% at traditional exchange houses. Always compare the total recipient amount, not just the headline fee.
Yes. The SAR has been fixed at 3.75 per USD since 1986 by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). This peg is backed by large currency reserves and is considered highly stable. It has not been revalued in nearly four decades.
Costs vary significantly by provider and destination. Traditional exchange houses and bank wires typically charge 2–4% all-in (fees plus FX markup). Digital asset rails via Rain can bring total costs under 1% for many corridors. RemitRoutes compares live rates for SAR send corridors so you can see the actual recipient amount before you send.
For high-volume corridors like SAR→INR, SAR→PHP, and SAR→PKR, digital rails often beat traditional exchange houses on total cost. Rain (SAR on-ramp) combined with destination exchanges like CoinDCX (INR) or PDAX (PHP) can deliver funds in minutes at under 1% total cost. Traditional options like Al Rajhi or Wise are solid if you prefer bank-to-bank delivery.
Yes. Rain is a regulated crypto exchange operating in Bahrain and the UAE with significant Saudi user base, supporting SAR deposits. Users can buy USDC or USDT with SAR, send it on-chain (Stellar, Tron, or Polygon), and the recipient converts it at a local exchange. This is legal and increasingly popular among tech-savvy expat workers.
Saudi Arabia imposes a remittance levy on transfers made by expatriate workers: 6% on the transferred amount (introduced in 2017, part of Vision 2030 fiscal reforms). This levy is charged at the point of transfer and applies regardless of the channel used. It is separate from, and in addition to, any provider fees. Saudi citizens are exempt from this levy.
The SAR/USD rate is fixed, but when converting SAR into destination currencies (INR, PHP, PKR, etc.), each provider applies their own markup over the mid-market rate. This markup varies from under 0.3% on digital rails to over 3% at some exchange counters. The advertised transfer fee is often much less than the hidden FX margin — always compare the total recipient amount, not just the fee.
Compare live rates across 370+ corridors on RemitRoutes · methodology. Last updated 2026-03-06.