Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Leader in Tokenized Finance and AI Infrastructure

Saudi Arabia is aggressively positioning itself at the center of tokenized finance and AI infrastructure as global financial systems transition towards programmable money, according to Faisal Monai, founder of SADAD's payments network. Monai, who is also chairman of droppRWA, a tokenization and capital infrastructure provider, describes a future where stablecoins, tokenized assets, and AI-driven infrastructure converge into a new financial operating system that outpaces traditional banking rails.

Monai argues that current global payment systems remain structurally inefficient despite the internet era. He points to recent U.S. stablecoin legislation and expanding tokenization frameworks as signals that regulators are beginning to adapt to digital financial infrastructure rather than resist it.

Saudi Arabia's centralized regulatory structure has allowed the country to move significantly faster in deploying tokenized financial products, Monai claims. Regulators helped transform a tokenization concept into a licensed and regulated service in just nine months through a phased rollout approach.

Monai stresses that Saudi Arabia's strategy is not about bypassing Western financial systems but integrating with them. The company already works with U.S. and European banking institutions while expanding tokenized asset infrastructure into multiple jurisdictions.