Saudi Arabia secured the top position among Gulf Cooperation Council nations in the latest retirement systems assessment. The Kingdom placed 12th globally out of 55 pension systems evaluated in the 2026 Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension Index.
The overall score for the Saudi system climbed to 73.2 out of 100 points, up from 67.6 points in the previous assessment.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the nation has advanced 15 places since 2022. The system previously ranked 27th among 44 systems.
Assessments improved across adequacy, sustainability and integrity. The integrity score jumped by 9.3 points to reach 83.5, securing an A rating as the highest classification in that category.
Sustainability metrics increased to 61.2 points from 54.6, and the adequacy score rose to 77.2 from 75. The overall retirement system maintained a B grade.
With a score of 73.2, Saudi Arabia outperformed multiple established global systems with a B grade, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and Hong Kong.
Governance reforms, regulatory enhancements, data modernisation and stronger safeguards for beneficiaries drove the progress. The General Organization for Social Insurance continues to modernise the social insurance system to improve retirement benefits and secure long-term sustainability.
The 18th edition of the index was published in collaboration with the Monash Centre for Financial Studies. It measures 55 retirement income systems using more than 50 indicators, representing about 66 percent of the global population.
A BlackRock study published in June identified opportunities to expand retirement savings and direct household funds into long-term investments, noting the potential to deepen financial markets and support economic diversification.
The index results follow pension reforms approved in 2024. The new Social Insurance Law took effect on July 3, 2024, setting a retirement age of 65 for eligible new workforce entrants and altering early-retirement eligibility.
