محمد يحي
Thunder, the digital investment platform, is planning to expand into the Saudi market during the first quarter of next year with investments of up to SAR 50 million, according to Ahmed Hammouda, Founder and CEO of Thunder, in an interview with EntArabi.
Hammouda revealed that the company secured preliminary approval to enter the Saudi market during the previous quarter, describing the Kingdom as one of Thunder’s most strategic markets for the coming phase, given the rapid growth of its financial sector and the increasing interest among individuals in investing.
He added that Thunder has already established a team in Saudi Arabia and is currently working on building initial partnerships with several local institutions, although details remain undisclosed at this stage.
According to Hammouda, the company aims to strengthen its presence in the Kingdom over the coming years, noting that Saudi Arabia offers a broad investor base and growing awareness of capital markets, particularly amid the strong momentum witnessed in the IPO market.
“Saudi Arabia is one of the markets we are most excited about,” Hammouda said. “We see significant opportunities to expand the retail investor base and promote a culture of long-term, disciplined investing, beyond limiting investment activity to public offerings.”
Hammouda also disclosed that Thunder invested approximately USD 8 million over the past year in upgrading its technological infrastructure.
He noted that the company’s partnership with Huawei forms part of its broader strategy to enhance service efficiency and improve the digital investment experience for users.
Regarding fundraising plans, Hammouda stated that Thunder is not currently seeking a new funding round, having already raised around USD 37 million since its inception, including its latest USD 15 million funding round.
Looking ahead, he said the company aims to establish a presence in seven Arab markets by 2030. Thunder’s long-term vision is to connect 16 Arab stock exchanges through a single investment platform.
He added that the company is focused on building integrated investment services tailored to Arab markets, arguing that unified access to regional financial markets through one platform could create a more efficient and attractive investment ecosystem for retail investors.
As part of its expansion strategy, Hammouda noted that Thunder has already launched a gold investment fund and is currently completing the regulatory procedures required to launch a real estate investment fund in partnership with several property developers.
He further revealed that the company is in discussions with a number of real estate developers, including Madinet Masr, to explore potential collaboration opportunities in this area.
Thunder is also preparing to launch a new investment fund focused on the entertainment and talent sector as part of its strategy to diversify the investment products available on its platform.
Hammouda concluded by stating that investments through the company’s products have surpassed EGP 30 billion, distributed across 65 investment funds, reaffirming Thunder’s commitment to developing investment solutions that promote a stronger culture of saving and investing across the Arab region.
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