Here's a review of bank branches in Saudi Arabia in H1 2020

The bank branches operating in Saudi Arabia reached 2,064 by the end of the first half of 2020, compared to 2,076 branches in 2019.

A total of seven new branches opened in H1 2020, while 19 others were closed down, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA).

 *Opening and closing of branches as indicated in the table below.

Saudi British Bank (SABB) shut 10 branches by the end of H1 2020. National Commercial Bank (NCB) closed down five branches, but opened two. Riyad Bank and Arab National Bank (ANB) closed down two branches and one branch, respectively.

Alinma Bank added two branches, while Al Rajhi Bank and Bank Albilad opened one branch each.

Meanwhile, Samba Financial Group shut one, and opened one new branch.

As many as 14 foreign banks are currently operating in the Kingdom, including Emirates NBD (4 branches), Gulf International Bank (3), National Bank of Kuwait (3), as well as one branch for BNP Paribas of France, Deutsche Bank of Germany, Bank Muscat, National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), JPMorgan Chase & Co. of the United States, National Bank of Pakistan, Ziraat Bank Turkey, Qatar National Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

Saudi banks had 2,041 branches by the end of H1 2020, topped by Al Rajhi Bank with 545 branches. It was followed by NCB (431), Riyad Bank (308), ANB (137), and SABB (122).

 *Opening and closing of branches as indicated in the previous table.

Riyadh had the biggest number of bank branches which hit 621. Makkah followed with 440 branches, and the Eastern Province with 402 branches.

In addition, average assets per branch rose to SAR 1.376 billion in H1 2020 from SAR 1.267 billion by the end of 2019.

Average loans increased to SAR 810 million per branch, with average deposits also rising to SAR 893 million per branch.