Overview
The regulatory environment governing Oman’s financial services sector has undergone significant reform under Vision 2040. Key legislative changes include the Foreign Capital Investment Law (2019), updated Commercial Companies Law, and sector-specific regulations aimed at improving ease of doing business. Oman’s ranking in the World Bank Doing Business index improved notably, though further regulatory modernisation is needed.
Key Indicators
| Indicator | Current | 2040 Target |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Regulator | Sector ministry | Enhanced governance |
| FDI Framework | Open with conditions | Fully liberalised |
| Licensing Complexity | Moderate | Streamlined |
Analysis
Regulatory reform in the financial services sector balances investor attraction with national interest protection. The sector’s regulatory framework is administered by relevant ministries with oversight from the Supreme Council for Planning. Bank Muscat, BankDhofar, National Bank of Oman, Alizz Islamic Bank, CMA, CBO operate within a licensing regime that has been progressively simplified. The introduction of the Invest Easy portal has reduced business setup time from weeks to days. However, inter-agency coordination remains a bottleneck, with overlapping mandates between sector regulators and cross-cutting bodies like the Environmental Authority and Labour Ministry.
Challenges
Regulatory complexity and enforcement inconsistency remain key concerns. Limited capital market depth, low equity market liquidity, conservative lending culture, nascent fintech ecosystem, regulatory fragmentation between CBO and CMA, and high NPL ratios in SME lending (~8 percent). Additionally, the pace of regulation often lags behind technological and market developments, creating uncertainty for first movers.
Opportunities
Regulatory sandboxes, digital permitting platforms, and outcome-based regulation can unlock growth. Islamic finance expansion, fintech sandbox and digital banking licences, insurance penetration growth (currently ~1.5 percent of GDP), green bonds and sukuk, pension fund reform, and regional wealth management hub potential.
Vision 2040 Targets
Increase financial services GDP share to over 10 percent; double insurance penetration; grow Islamic banking to 25 percent of assets; launch a digital riyal CBDC pilot; maintain 92 percent+ Omanisation.