Prince Alwaleed's all-around investment strategy: when Saudi wealth diversifies to 19 billion USD

In 2025, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud made his grand return to the Forbes billionaire list with a colossal portfolio valued at $16.5 billion, positioning him as the most influential businessman in the Arab world. His spectacular rise masks a much more complex investment philosophy: that of a man who refuses to concentrate his wealth in a single sector.

A $19 billion portfolio: the anatomy of an economic empire

The Saudi prince’s fortune is primarily based on Kingdom Holding Company, the investment giant he founded four and a half decades ago. This empire forms the backbone of his wealth, with an estimated stake of around $6.4 billion and a direct management of 78.13% of the structure.

Kingdom Holding does not operate as a simple stock portfolio. It is more like an investment machine calibrated to scan the global economy. The group deploys its resources across eighteen distinct sectors, from traditional finance to cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence. This radical diversification approach has protected the empire even during recent economic turbulence.

The pillars: real estate, hospitality, and technology

The hospitality sector accounts for more than a third of the prince’s investment portfolio, especially thanks to his significant stake in Four Seasons. After a strategic reduction of his shares (he sold half of his stake to Bill Gates’ investment fund in 2021 for $2.21 billion), the prince still controls 23.7% of the prestigious chain. Kingdom Holding also owns 6.8% of Accor, the French hospitality giant operating more than forty renowned international brands.

Real estate is the second major pillar, absorbing 25.9% of the investment portfolio. Key projects include the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh and especially Jeddah Tower, a revolutionary skyscraper designed to surpass one thousand meters in height and become the tallest structure in the world. The total value of these real estate projects reaches $1.9 billion.

On the technological front, the prince’s engagement has become particularly visible in recent years. Kingdom Holding has positioned itself as the second-largest shareholder of social network X (formerly Twitter) and is heavily investing in Elon Musk’s xAI. The company increased its investment in the latter to $800 million during Series B and C funding rounds. The prince personally estimates that his total exposure to this joint venture could reach between $4 billion and $5 billion in the medium term.

Past victories and ongoing presence

The prince’s investment history in Citigroup dates back to 1991, with an initial investment of $800 million that peaked at $10 billion in 2005. Although his current stake has been reduced to 1.06%, his long-term commitment demonstrates an ability to identify growth-driving companies before other investors. In the Saudi banking sector, Kingdom Holding remains the largest shareholder of Banque Saudi Fransi with 16.2% of shares, worth approximately $1.8 billion.

Emerging sectors: health, education, and aviation

The aviation sector stands out as one of the group’s specialties, with a 37.2% stake in Flynas, a low-cost airline currently operating sixty-one aircraft. The prince has publicly announced the IPO of Flynas on the Saudi market (Tadawul) this year, aiming to raise over $2 billion.

In the educational field, Kingdom Holding owns 89.8% of the Kingdom School System, which saw a remarkable 14% growth in its student body last year. This sector receives strategic long-term investment attention, reflecting a vision beyond short-term profitability.

The healthcare sector remains more modest (2.2% of the portfolio), but includes a 4.9% stake in Dallah Health as well as the management of Kingdom Hospital and several private clinics.

The crypto question: an unexplored frontier?

Although the prince’s public portfolio does not reveal significant involvement in traditional cryptocurrencies, his strategy of investing in technological innovation raises interesting questions. An investor of this magnitude, known for anticipating major trends, might consider the crypto universe as a sector of the future worth attention—especially within the context of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which promotes technological diversification.

His overall portfolio of $19 billion represents much more than a wealth accumulation: it embodies a philosophy that true economic power lies in the multiplicity of strategic exposures.