The Egyptian foreign exchange market witnessed a noticeable fluctuation in the Saudi riyal's exchange rate against the Egyptian pound at the start of trading on Sunday, January 4, 2026, across various government and commercial banks operating in the banking sector. This slight variation is within the framework of supply and demand dynamics that govern the foreign exchange market, amidst close monitoring of exchange rates by investors and citizens.
Details of the Saudi Riyal exchange rate in Egyptian banks today
Below we present a detailed list of the buying and selling prices of the Saudi Riyal according to the latest updates issued by the trading screens in banks:
- The Central Bank of Egypt: The average price of the riyal recorded 12.69 Egyptian pounds for buying and 12.73 Egyptian pounds for selling, reflecting relative stability in the official index.
- National Bank of Egypt: As the largest government bank, the bank traded the price of the riyal at 12.66 Egyptian pounds for buying and 12.73 Egyptian pounds for selling.
- Bank of Egypt: The prices were identical to those of the National Bank, recording 12.66 pounds for buying and 12.73 pounds for selling.
- Bank of Alexandria: The price of the riyal was recorded at 12.69 Egyptian pounds for buying and 12.73 Egyptian pounds for selling.
- Suez Canal Bank: The price reached 12.66 pounds for buying, while it recorded a slight increase in selling to reach 12.74 pounds.
- Commercial International Bank (CIB): The riyal recorded 12.68 Egyptian pounds for buying and 12.73 Egyptian pounds for selling.
- Faisal Islamic Bank: Recorded 12.65 pounds for buying, and 12.72 pounds for selling.
- Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank: offered the highest buying price of 12.71 pounds, and recorded 12.74 pounds for selling.
- National Bank of Kuwait: Recorded 12.63 pounds for buying, and 12.76 pounds for selling.
- Qatar National Bank (QNB): Recorded 12.62 Egyptian pounds for buying and 12.73 Egyptian pounds for selling.
The importance of the riyal's exchange rate and its economic impact
The Saudi riyal holds particular significance in the Egyptian economy, extending beyond its status as a foreign currency. Saudi Arabia is Egypt's largest trading partner in the Arab region and hosts the largest Egyptian expatriate community. Remittances from Egyptians working in the Kingdom play a pivotal role in bolstering Egypt's foreign currency reserves, making any fluctuation in the exchange rate directly impact the value of these remittances when converted to the local currency.
Factors affecting market stability
The relative stability or slight fluctuations in exchange rates reflect the success of central banks' monetary policies in managing the foreign exchange market, where the rate is determined by free market mechanisms (supply and demand). Demand for the riyal is also linked to specific seasons, such as Umrah and Hajj, during which tourism companies and individuals increase their demand for the Saudi currency to cover travel and accommodation expenses. Furthermore, the ongoing trade between the two countries necessitates the availability of cash liquidity to facilitate import and export transactions.
