# Gulf International Bank Saudi Arabia (GIB SA)

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/gulf-international-saudi
> research date 2026-06-01 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [GIB SA meem — official](https://meem.com/)

## Key details

- **Parent:** ship

## Overview

**Gulf International Bank Saudi Arabia (GIB SA)** is **Saudi Arabian commercial banking subsidiary of Gulf International Bank GIB Bahrain parent** + **GIB Bahrain parent ~100%+ controlling via Public Investment Fund PIF Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund ultimate ownership** + **Saudi Arabia's first digital-first commercial bank** + **founded Aug 24 2018 in Riyadh Saudi Arabia as Saudi Arabia's first standalone digital-first commercial bank under Vision 2030** <sup>[1][1], [Saudi Arabia report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/SA)</sup>.

## History

**Aug 24 2018 — Gulf International Bank Saudi Arabia GIB SA founded in Riyadh Saudi Arabia as Saudi Arabia's first standalone digital-first commercial bank under Vision 2030 + GIB Bahrain parent + Public Investment Fund PIF Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund consolidation** distinctive Saudi Arabian digital banking heritage as Saudi Arabia's pioneer digital-first commercial bank.

**2014 — meem digital-first retail commercial banking app launch (pre-GIB SA founding)**.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Gulf International Bank Saudi Arabia GIB SA** (Saudi Arabian commercial banking subsidiary of Gulf International Bank GIB Bahrain parent).

**Major shareholders**: **GIB Bahrain parent ~100%+ controlling via Public Investment Fund PIF (Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund) ultimate ownership**.

**Regulators**: **SAMA Saudi Central Bank + Central Bank of Bahrain CBB via GIB Bahrain parent**.

## Technical integration

GIB SA meem Mobile app (iOS + Android) + meem.com online + GIB SA digital-first retail commercial banking + limited Saudi Arabian branch network + GIB SA Visa + Mastercard cards; mada Saudi national payment scheme + mada Pay (Saudi national mobile QR payment scheme + NFC) + SARIE Instant (Saudi instant payments) + Saudi Riyal SAR domestic transfers.

## Implementations & partners

**Parent group**: [Gulf International Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/gulf-international-bank) (Gulf International Bank GIB; Bahraini wholesale + commercial bank; Middle East's premier wholesale + corporate commercial bank; Public Investment Fund PIF Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund ~97%+ controlling).

**Major Saudi Arabian banking + payments competitors**: [Saudi National Bank (SNB)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/saudi-national-bank) (Saudi National Bank SNB; Tadawul: 1180; Saudi Arabia's largest commercial bank by assets) + [Al Rajhi Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/al-rajhi-bank) (Al Rajhi Bank; Tadawul: 1120; world's largest Islamic commercial bank by market cap) + [Arab National Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/arab-national-bank) (Arab National Bank ANB; Tadawul: 1080) + [Alinma Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/alinma) (Alinma Bank; Tadawul: 1150) + [Riyad Bank + Riyad Mobile](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/riyad-bank) (Riyad Bank; Tadawul: 1010) + [Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/saudi-awwal-bank) (Saudi Awwal Bank SAB; Tadawul: 1060) + [Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF Mobile)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/banque-saudi-fransi) (Banque Saudi Fransi BSF; Tadawul: 1050) + [Bank Albilad (Albilad App)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bank-albilad) (Bank AlBilad; Tadawul: 1140).

**Regulators**: SAMA Saudi Central Bank + Central Bank of Bahrain CBB via GIB Bahrain parent.

## Status

**Active, Saudi Arabian commercial banking subsidiary of Gulf International Bank GIB Bahrain parent + GIB Bahrain parent ~100%+ controlling via Public Investment Fund PIF Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund ultimate ownership + Saudi Arabia's first digital-first commercial bank + founded Aug 24 2018 in Riyadh Saudi Arabia as Saudi Arabia's first standalone digital-first commercial bank under Vision 2030** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>.

## Sources

[1]: https://meem.com/ "GIB SA meem — official"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_International_Bank "GIB — Wikipedia"
[sa-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/SA

- [1] [GIB SA meem — official][1]
- [2] [GIB — Wikipedia][2]
- <sup>[Saudi Arabia report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/SA)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/SA-saudi-arabia.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [gulf-international-saudi.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/gulf-international-saudi). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.