The House of Saud, the dynasty that has ruled Saudi Arabia for more than two centuries, is currently positioned as the richest royal family in the world, with a collective fortune estimated at 1.4 trillion dollars, according to the Argentine newspaper La Nación. This impressive heritage also eclipses the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of developed countries such as Spain or Australia, revealing the dimension of its global influence.
The name of the Arab kingdom leaves no doubt about the symbolic and historical power of this family: Saudi Arabia literally means “the Arabia of the Saud”. Since its foundation in the 18th century, this dynasty has consolidated its dominion over the territory and its vast oil reserves, the main source of its immense wealth.
At the head of the throne is King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who has led the country since 2015
His personal fortune was estimated at around 18 billion dollars, a figure that places him among the richest monarchs in the world. He is closely followed by his nephew, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a global investor whose assets reached 16 billion dollars, according to figures from three years ago. Alwaleed gained international fame by becoming one of the main shareholders in the purchase of Twitter by Elon Musk, investing approximately 1.9 billion dollars.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz
Beyond these figures, what really distinguishes the House of Saud is its size: it is estimated that more than 15,000 people are part of this extensive royal family. Many of its members hold key government positions or enjoy lifestyles marked by luxury, with privileged access to state resources and benefits derived from the country’s vast oil wealth. Extravagances, palaces, yachts and luxury vehicles are just part of what surrounds this dynasty.
In comparison, the second richest royal family in the world would be the Al-Sabah family, which governs Kuwait. In 1991, their assets were 90 billion dollars, but thanks to strategic investments and continuous growth, that figure would have quadrupled to 360 billion dollars. Even so, it remains considerably below the Saudi economic empire.