Residential sales values in Riyadh reached SAR17.6bn ($4.69bn) in Q3 2025, as Saudi Arabia’s capital prepares to deliver 57,000 new housing units across 2026 and 2027, according to new research from Cavendish Maxwell.

Residential transactions in Riyadh totalled 13,000 between July and September, marking a near 19 per cent increase quarter-on-quarter. Around 10,000 new homes were delivered in the city during the first nine months of the year, with a further 6,000 units expected in the final quarter.

Dammam, included for the first time in Cavendish Maxwell’s latest Saudi Arabia residential market report, recorded its strongest sales performance in several years. Transactions reached 3,000 in Q3 2025, up almost 60 per cent year-on-year and 37 per cent compared to Q2, with sales values hitting SAR3.2bn ($850m).

Jeddah also saw an improvement in quarterly activity, with transactions rising 10 per cent to 7,500 and sales values increasing 9 per cent quarter-on-quarter to SAR8.7bn ($2.31bn).

Despite quarterly growth across all three cities, year-on-year sales volumes declined in Riyadh and Jeddah, reflecting mounting affordability pressures. Transactions were down 44 per cent in Riyadh and 19 per cent in Jeddah compared to the same period last year.

Sean Heckford, director of built asset consulting at Cavendish Maxwell, said: “Riyadh’s rapid price appreciation in 2024 led to sharp increases in both sales and rental prices, prompting the Government to introduce a five-year rent freeze to address affordability concerns. In Jeddah, price conditions have stabilised and affordability pressures have eased slightly. Meanwhile Dammam, where property is more affordable, is emerging as a new hot spot for property investment, with a year-on-year surge in buying activity from both end-users and investors.”

Read: From Riyadh to Red Sea: How Cityscape Global 2025 is reshaping urban living

The report shows that apartment and villa prices rose across Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam during Q3, with the strongest increases recorded in the capital. Rental rates for apartments increased in all three cities, while villa rents rose in Riyadh and Dammam but edged lower in Jeddah.

By the end of 2025, a total of 22,800 new residential units are expected to be delivered across the three cities, with a further 105,000 homes scheduled for completion in 2026 and 2027. Riyadh is set to account for the largest share, with 57,000 units in the pipeline, followed by Jeddah with 36,000 and Dammam with 12,000.

Cavendish Maxwell noted that regulatory reforms are likely to shape market dynamics in the coming years. The new foreign ownership law, due to take effect in January 2026, is expected to stimulate buyer demand, while the recently introduced White Land Tax is designed to encourage land development and increase housing supply.

Heckford added: “Saudi Arabia’s Q3 residential market performance reflects a transitional phase marked by strong macroeconomic fundamentals and evolving regulatory measures. Despite affordability challenges in Riyadh, demand remains resilient, supported by the new laws and tax systems. Jeddah demonstrates stability with balanced supply and demand dynamics, and Dammam stands out as a growth hotspot driven by affordability and investor interest. Vision 2030 initiatives and infrastructure investments will be pivotal in sustaining momentum and unlocking new investment opportunities across all major cities in KSA.”

Download the full Cavendish Maxwell KSA Q3 2025 report here.

As 2025 draws to a close, the MENA region stands at a cybersecurity crossroads. The threat landscape has evolved, not merely due to new vulnerabilities, but because adversaries have become more sophisticated.

According to PwC’s 2025 Global Digital Trust Insights Report, 40 per cent of tech leaders in the Middle East have made data protection their top investment priority.

Identity breaches have become the path of least resistance, operational technology (OT) systems are increasingly exposed, and artificial intelligence (AI) has transitioned from a theoretical risk to a tangible threat.

In 2026, these trends are set to accelerate. Here are five pivotal shifts that have shaped this year and will define the next.

1. Identity: The new frontline

Attackers now prefer to log in rather than break in; the front door is the easiest access point. This year, breaches have increasingly relied on stolen credentials, trusted access, and activities timed to blend seamlessly with normal business operations. Techniques such as multi-factor authentication fatigue, SIM-swapping, and AI-powered social engineering have made identity compromise alarmingly straightforward.

Identity will remain at the forefront of enterprise security. Privileged accounts, machine identities, and supplier access will be prime targets, allowing attackers to move stealthily within networks. Organisations must treat identity as a critical risk surface, necessitating constant monitoring, phishing-resistant authentication, stringent privilege controls, and analytics capable of early threat detection.

2. Ransomware will prioritise disruption over encryption

Ransomware has evolved strategically. Many groups have shifted focus from encrypting data to disrupting operations, triggering costly downtime, and weaponising reputational damage. Double extortion and repeat attacks have become common, especially in sectors that cannot afford service interruptions.

In the coming year, disruption-first tactics will proliferate. Industries with low tolerance for outages will face relentless pressure from attackers who know that operational paralysis often inflicts more damage than data loss.

Recovery readiness will be as crucial as early detection. Segmented backups, tested restoration plans, and executive-level incident drills will go from nice-to-have to non-negotiable.

3. OT will become a primary target as connectivity expands

OT underwent a rapid digital transformation this year, exposing significant security gaps. OT systems were not designed for frequent patching or aggressive scanning. Applying IT-style controls to them often results in downtime, equipment failures, or loss of operator trust – outcomes far more damaging than a missed update.

In 2026, OT environments will face growing risks as connectivity deepens. A one-size-fits-all security approach will not suffice. Cybersecurity teams, engineers, integrators, and vendors must collaborate.

Forward-thinking organisations will integrate security into the engineering and procurement process from the outset, aligning with frameworks like IEC 62443 and validating controls before systems go live.

4. AI will change the speed and scale of attacks

AI officially entered the cyber arena this year. Attackers used it to automate reconnaissance, craft persuasive phishing lures, and speed up exploitation. AI-driven attacks are no longer theoretical –they are operational.

In 2026, modular, agent-driven attack methods are expected to expand, shrinking the window between initial access and operational impact. This will strain Security Operations Center (SOC) teams already managing high alert volumes.

However, defenders can leverage the same tools. AI-powered detection, log analysis, and anomaly spotting can surface early warnings that might otherwise be lost in the noise. Successful organisations will pair advanced technology with strong governance, continuous auditing, and clear rules around internal AI use.

Cybersecurity is a relentless pursuit. Threat actors continuously adapt and innovate to bypass defences, creating an ongoing cycle of challenge and response. The game never ends – neither should our defence.

5. Cyber fundamentals will become the new strategic edge

Despite the complexity, 2025 reinforced a fundamental truth: the basics still win. Misconfigurations, unmonitored access, and improper tool use have driven most major incidents. The problem is rarely strategy, but execution at scale.

The last year has shown that governance, discipline, and shared responsibility matter more than any single technology. In 2026, cybersecurity will resemble how we approach workplace safety – a culture of consistent habits and clear responsibilities, not reactive firefighting. Public-private partnerships, timely threat sharing, and workforce training will become key to reducing risk across industries.

Overall, the thread connecting all five shifts is trust. Identity security, OT protection, recovery readiness, AI governance, and workforce behaviour all depend on it. Yet, the human factor remains the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain, making cyber awareness critically important to all organisations and governments alike. Attackers continue to succeed through phishing and misconfigurations – largely preventable issues.

The coming year will not reward organisations that merely invest in more tools. It will reward those who embed trust into their processes, technology, and people.

Attackers are becoming more efficient and professional. As a result, defenders need to match that rigour. The choices leaders make now will determine whether 2026 brings preventable crises or predictable, proven resilience.

Hadi Anwar is the CEO of CPX.

Sharjah Police has finalised its security, traffic and operational preparations for the New Year 2026 celebrations, following a coordination meeting chaired by Brigadier General Omar Al Ghazal, Director General of the General Department of Operations and Security Support.

The meeting reviewed comprehensive security and traffic plans designed to ensure public safety during the celebrations, including increased police presence across key locations such as event and celebration venues, fireworks launch sites, public facilities and major highways.

Preparations also include enhancing the readiness of operations rooms on a 24/7 basis, supported by trained personnel and advanced technological systems to enable rapid response and the efficient handling of reports and emergencies throughout the festive period.

Read: How Sharjah dealt with adverse weather: Inside the emirate’s rapid response

Brigadier General Al Ghazal underscored the importance of strengthening on-ground coordination with strategic partners and implementing all necessary preventive measures to maintain a safe and stable environment during the New Year celebrations.

He urged members of the public to follow instructions and guidance issued by police officers at event locations, demonstrate responsible and civilised behaviour, avoid negative practices, and cooperate fully with security and traffic teams to ensure their own safety and that of others.

The Director General also reaffirmed the readiness of Sharjah Police’s call centres, with 999 dedicated to emergencies and 901 for non-emergency services, to manage inquiries and reports with high efficiency and professionalism. This, he noted, forms part of ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and support quality of life across the emirate during the celebrations.

Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD) has become the first bank in the UAE to fully activate Open Finance into live operational use under the Central Bank of the UAE’s Open Finance Initiative, AlTareq, setting a new milestone for the country’s banking sector.

The activation was delivered in collaboration with Central Bank–licensed third-party providers, including Pay10 and Lean Technologies, both of which are now live and operational with CBD under the Open Finance Framework. During the live-proving phase, CBD worked closely with its partners to meet the regulatory, technical and operational requirements set by the Central Bank.

The move marks a key transition for Open Finance in the UAE, shifting from controlled pilot programmes to full-scale, nationwide implementation. As a result, CBD’s retail current and savings account customers can now securely share financial data and initiate payments through regulated, consent-based mechanisms.

CBD and its partner providers are officially live on Nebras, the operator of the UAE’s Open Finance infrastructure, operating under the supervision of the Central Bank of the UAE.

Dr. Bernd van Linder, CEO of commercial bank of Dubai, said: “CBD’s full-scale Open Finance activation places the bank at the centre of a fundamental shift in the UAE’s financial architecture. We are proud to be one of the first banks in the UAE to take a major step in creating a more connected ecosystem that gives customers greater control over their financial interactions. This step reflects CBD’s long-term focus on creating seamless, digital-first customer experiences that accelerate the UAE’s growth and empowers both nationals and residents with innovative and transparent financial solutions.”

Commenting on the launch, Harry Gill, founder and chairman of Pay10, said the go-live represents a tangible step in translating the UAE leadership’s Open Finance vision into real-world implementation, enabling secure and regulated customer access while maintaining the highest standards of compliance and trust.

Tewfik Cassis, chief product officer of Lean Technologies, said: “This is a major milestone for Open Finance in the UAE. CBD’s activation demonstrates that the framework is ready to operate at bank scale in a live environment under Central Bank oversight. With CBD now fully live, Open Finance moves beyond readiness and into execution, creating the conditions for real customer adoption, sustained transaction volumes, and long-term ecosystem growth.”

Looking ahead, CBD said it will continue working with its Open Finance partners to expand use cases, support wider market adoption and drive meaningful transaction activity in line with the objectives of the UAE’s AlTareq Open Finance Initiative.

Sama X, a new venture and authorised global reseller of Starlink, has secured regulatory approval from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) to resell Starlink’s satellite internet services across Jordan, significantly expanding access to high-speed connectivity nationwide.

Launched earlier this year, Sama X is focused on delivering next-generation connectivity solutions to professionals, enterprises and public sector organisations. With the licence now in place, the company will immediately address critical connectivity gaps in Jordan’s remote northern and southern regions, supporting use cases ranging from NGO operations in camps to the expansion of digital government services in rural communities.

By leveraging low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite technology, Sama X’s solutions will provide reliable primary or back-up connectivity across the Kingdom, enabling businesses, institutions and communities to operate with greater resilience and confidence.

“Jordan, with its diverse economy and terrain, presents unique opportunities for latest-generation satellite broadband solutions that combine Starlink’s LEO constellation with our local market expertise and value-add. Whether it is a classroom in Tafileh, a logistics convoy near Ma’an, or a refugee clinic in Mafraq, everyone can benefit from the same high-speed internet enjoyed in the capital, Amman,” said Amit Somani, CEO of Sama X.

Read: Sama X debuts at GITEX Global with Starlink-powered connectivity solutions

Starlink’s LEO satellite constellation, developed by SpaceX, is among the most advanced satellite internet systems globally. Since 2020, SpaceX has launched more LEO satellites than all other providers combined, creating an infrastructure capable of delivering fibre-like speeds without reliance on traditional ground-based networks.

Beyond connectivity, Sama X is offering end-to-end services, including customer consultation, rapid installation and activation, as well as local after-sales support. This includes a 24/7 bilingual call centre operating in both English and Arabic.

“We are thankful to Jordan’s Telecommunications Regulatory Commission for establishing a conducive environment that allows companies like Sama X to operate effectively. We look forward to collaborating with local stakeholders to advance the Kingdom’s Economic Modernisation Vision through ubiquitous and reliable connectivity,” Somani added.

Sama X is backed by Alghanim Industries, one of the Middle East’s largest privately owned conglomerates, providing the venture with significant scale, capital backing and a proven track record of deploying complex technologies across regional markets.