The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked first among GCC states and 12th globally out of 55 pension systems in the 2026 Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension Index. The Kingdom's overall score climbed to 73.2 out of 100, up from 67.6 in 2025, continuing an upward trajectory that has seen it advance 15 places since 2022. The Kingdom achieved notable gains across the index's three primary pillars. In the Integrity sub-index—which evaluates regulatory governance, member communication, and participant rights—Saudi Arabia scored 83.5, up 9.3 points from the previous year, securing an A rating, the highest classification in the category. The Kingdom's Sustainability score increased to 61.2 points from 54.6, while Adequacy rose to 77.2 from 75, maintaining an overall B grade, SPA reported. With its 73.2 score, Saudi Arabia outperformed established international pension systems categorized within the B band, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, and Hong Kong, while leading all participating Gulf nations. The index noted that Saudi Arabia's advancement was driven by sustained governance reforms, regulatory enhancements, data modernization, and stronger safeguards for scheme beneficiaries. These results reflect ongoing modernization within the national social insurance ecosystem led by the Social Insurance, aimed at expanding benefit adequacy and safeguarding long-term fiscal sustainability. Published in collaboration with the Monash Centre for Financial Studies, the 18th edition of the Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension Index evaluates retirement systems covering two-thirds of the world's population across more than 50 sub-indicators.
