Saudi Prince Alwaleed: How His Fortune Is Redefining the Future of the Middle East

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud has just made his big return to Forbes’ billionaire list in 2025, with a fortune estimated at $16.5 billion. What makes this Middle Eastern king especially interesting isn’t just the staggering amount of his wealth, but rather the revolutionary way he deploys it: a global, multi-sector investment strategy that is constantly evolving.

From Obscurity to Glory: The Prince’s Return to the Billionaire List

Born in 1955, Prince Alwaleed is not only the grandson of Saudi Arabia’s founder, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, but also the grandson of Lebanon’s former Prime Minister. His journey in Forbes rankings tells a fascinating story: he appeared in 2017 with a fortune of $18.7 billion, then disappeared in 2018 when the institution stopped systematically listing Saudi billionaires.

Today, in 2025, the prince is making a strong comeback, even ranking first among the 15 recognized Saudi billionaires this year, and holding the 128th position worldwide. This resurgence is no coincidence: it reflects strategic growth and consolidation of his economic empire.

Kingdom Holding: The Brain Behind the Wealth

The prince’s wealth mainly comes from his stake in Kingdom Holding Company, a massive conglomerate he founded nearly five decades ago. He currently owns 78.13% of the company, valued at about $6.4 billion alone. But Kingdom Holding is much more than just an investment portfolio.

As of December 31, 2024, Kingdom Holding manages assets worth $19 billion, strategically spread across no fewer than 18 different sectors. From traditional finance to artificial intelligence, aviation, and healthcare, the Saudi prince’s group resembles more an entire economic ecosystem than a simple investment firm.

An Investment Strategy Redefining the Regional Landscape

What truly sets Prince Alwaleed’s wealth apart is his ability to anticipate global trends while remaining deeply rooted in Middle Eastern realities. His portfolio tells the story of a transforming Saudi Arabia.

In the hospitality sector, which accounts for nearly 31% of his investments, the prince owns 23.7% of Four Seasons—a stake he voluntarily halved in 2021 by selling 47.5% to Bill Gates for $2.21 billion. He also owns 6.8% of Accor, the French hotel giant that manages over 40 prestigious brands like Fairmont, Raffles, and Sofitel.

Real estate makes up 25.9% of the portfolio, with flagship projects like the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh and Jeddah Tower—a futuristic skyscraper aiming to surpass 1,000 meters and become the tallest tower in the world. Related contracts total $1.9 billion.

Technology and Innovation: New Frontiers

While his traditional portfolio remains solid, his forward-looking vision shines brightest in the tech sector. Kingdom Holding is the second-largest shareholder of social network X (formerly Twitter) and xAI, Elon Musk’s startup, in which the group invested $800 million during Series B and C funding rounds.

The prince supported Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in 2022 and bet even more on the merger of X and xAI announced in March 2025, valuing this new entity at $125 billion. According to his personal predictions, his investment in this joint venture could reach between $4 and $5 billion in the coming years.

But xAI is just one piece of the tech puzzle. Kingdom Holding also invests in giants like Meta, Uber, Didi, Lyft, and Snap Inc., giving it direct exposure to the planet’s biggest digital transformation trends.

Meanwhile, in finance, his historic investment in Citigroup, started in 1991 with $800 million, peaked in 2005 with a valuation of $10 billion. Today, Kingdom Holding owns 1.06% of Citigroup and remains the largest shareholder of Banque Saudi Fransi with 16.2% (about $1.8 billion).

Local Aviation: The Takeoff of Flynas

Aviation is another strategic pillar of this wealth. Kingdom Holding owns 37.2% of Flynas, the Saudi low-cost airline currently operating 61 aircraft. The prince announced on X that Flynas plans to go public on Tadawul, the Saudi stock exchange, this year, aiming to raise at least $2 billion.

Health, Education, and Vision 2030

In healthcare, the group owns 4.9% of Dallah Health, manages the Kingdom Hospital, and operates several private clinics, representing about 2.2% of the portfolio. The education sector is also present, with 89.8% of the Kingdom School System shares, which saw a 14% increase in enrollments last year.

These seemingly secondary investments are actually part of a much larger project: aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the kingdom’s economic diversification strategy.

Beyond the Numbers: Why This Wealth Redefines Saudi Arabia

Prince Alwaleed’s fortune is not just a accumulation of riches. It is a driving force reshaping the economic fabric of the Middle East. By simultaneously investing in world-class hospitality, cutting-edge technology, and local infrastructure, the Saudi prince demonstrates how Saudi Arabia can become a global economic player while maintaining its regional advantages.

His return to Forbes’ list in 2025 signals more than just financial recovery: it validates his visionary strategy. As his wealth continues to grow—especially with future valuations of Flynas and xAI—it’s clear that Prince Alwaleed will keep paving the way for a new generation of billionaire investors in the Middle East.