The live Saudi-riyal-to-Canadian-dollar rate, updated every minute. Book SAR→CAD with SummitFX on WhatsApp — we accept incoming SAR via SWIFT and settle CAD via SWIFT to your Canadian recipient bank.
Use the tabs to view the last week, month, year, or five years of daily closing rates. The shaded band shows the high-low range for the period — a quick visual read on volatility.
Type in either box — enter a SAR amount to see what you'd get in CAD, or enter a target CAD amount to see how many Saudi riyals you'd need. Calculated at the live mid-market rate shown above.
Note: The rate shown is the live mid-market rate. Your actual executable rate includes a small spread — typically 0.6–1.0% at SummitFX vs 2–4% at a UK high street bank. We'll always show the full breakdown before you book.
SAR/CAD is the mirror of CAD/SAR — read from the Saudi side. Because SAR is pegged to USD at 3.75, the pair effectively moves on USD/CAD dynamics. BoC versus Federal Reserve policy, oil prices, US economic data, and global risk sentiment dominate. SAMA maintains the peg through monetary policy alignment with the Fed, meaning Saudi rates effectively track US rates and SAR movements against CAD reflect USD/CAD movements.
USD peg at 3.75: The Saudi riyal has been pegged to USD at 3.75 since 1986. This peg is the single most important factor in any SAR cross — SAR moves whenever USD moves. SAMA defends the peg through FX reserves and monetary policy.
Federal Reserve policy (via SAMA): Because SAMA maintains the USD peg, Saudi rates effectively track Fed rates. Fed rate decisions, FOMC statements, and the quarterly dot plot all directly affect SAR rates and the riyal's USD-derived movements against CAD.
Oil prices: Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter. Long-term oil price moves affect SAMA's reserves and the structural sustainability of the peg, though short-term SAR movements track USD regardless of oil.
SAMA FX reserves: Saudi Central Bank reserves are the mechanism by which the USD peg is maintained. Major reserve changes can occasionally raise speculation about peg sustainability, though such episodes are rare and typically resolved without peg adjustment.
PIF and Vision 2030 capital flows: Saudi sovereign investment activity (PIF deals, megaproject funding, SWF rebalancing) generates significant SAR-related capital flow. PIF has built positions in Canadian mining and energy sectors. These flows occur within the peg band but affect SAR/USD trading dynamics.
Bank of Canada policy: The BoC sets Canadian interest rates and meets eight times a year. The cash rate is the dominant CAD driver. The BoC-Fed policy gap drives SAR/CAD because SAR tracks USD.
Oil prices: Canada is a major oil producer; oil exports are a meaningful share of national GDP. Rising oil prices typically support CAD; falling oil weighs on it. Oil affects both Saudi and Canadian economies, though the SAR peg insulates SAR from short-term oil moves while CAD is directly exposed.
US data and Fed policy: Around 75% of Canadian exports go to the US, so Canadian growth is closely linked to US demand. US non-farm payrolls and CPI prints often move CAD as much as Canadian-specific data.
Canadian housing market: Canadian housing is a meaningful macro variable, affecting both consumer wealth and BoC's financial stability concerns. Major housing-sector developments can move the loonie.
Risk sentiment: CAD is moderately risk-on. In stress episodes capital flees to USD safe-haven status — pushing SAR/CAD higher because SAR tracks USD and CAD weakens on oil and risk-off.
Saudi Arabia and Canada share a substantive trade relationship worth around C$5 billion annually. Canada is one of the world's largest pulse exporters and Saudi Arabia is a major buyer; Canadian wheat, beef, and machinery also flow to Saudi Arabia. Beyond trade, Saudi sovereign capital (PIF) holds Canadian asset positions in mining and energy. Canadian engineering and consultancy firms work on Vision 2030 projects, generating reverse-direction flow. The bilateral relationship normalised significantly after the 2018-2019 diplomatic dispute, with full diplomatic ties restored in 2023.
SAR→CAD settles in two legs: your SAR arrives via SWIFT, we convert, and we pay out CAD via SWIFT to your Canadian recipient bank. The Saudi banking week runs Sunday-Thursday, so plan around the calendar mismatch with the Canadian Monday-Friday banking week.
Three things most commonly cause SAR→CAD transfers to miss same-day settlement:
Late SAR arrival in UK time. Our cutoff is 14:00 UK time for same-day CAD settlement. SAR wires sent from Saudi Arabia in the morning typically arrive in the UK before our cutoff, but afternoon Riyadh bookings often miss it. If you're sending from Saudi, send before mid-day local time.
Saudi-Canadian weekend mismatch. Saudi banks operate Sunday-Thursday; Canadian banks operate Monday-Friday. SAR wires initiated on Sunday won't reach Canada until Monday. Wires initiated on Friday/Saturday won't process until Canadian Monday. Plan transfers around this calendar mismatch.
Intermediary bank holds. SWIFT wires from Saudi banks to Canada typically route through European or US correspondent banks, adding processing time. Standard delays are minor; longer holds can occur for larger amounts requiring AML review.
For business-related CAD receipts and large personal transfers, we recommend coordinating with the Saudi sender to initiate the wire early in the Saudi business day. Forward contracts work well for ongoing repatriation arrangements such as quarterly business receipts, recurring expat salary conversions, or Vision 2030 project milestone payments.
SAR/CAD is the corridor for Saudi residents and businesses with meaningful CAD obligations, plus Canada-bound flows from Canadian expats in Saudi, Saudi investors in Canadian assets, and Saudi entities with Canadian operations. Common use cases:
Saudi sovereign and private institutional investors deploying capital into Canadian assets — particularly mining and energy sector stakes, TSX-listed equities, infrastructure, and Canadian commercial real estate. While dominated by institutional desks, individual Saudi high-net-worth investors also use this corridor for Canadian asset diversification.
Canadian professionals working in Saudi (oil and gas, banking, healthcare, education, consultancy) repatriating SAR savings to CAD. Standing arrangements smooth out the rate exposure across multiple monthly transfers; forward contracts work for known end-of-contract repatriation amounts.
Saudi buyers — both private individuals and institutional players — purchasing Canadian property in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary. Forward contracts protect deal economics from currency moves during the typical 4-8 week conveyancing window.
Saudi entities paying Canadian consultancies, engineering firms (mining and infrastructure expertise particularly relevant), agricultural advisers, and educational institutions in CAD. Vision 2030 has driven growth in this corridor as Saudi entities engage Canadian expertise on diversification projects.
Saudi families with children at Canadian universities or boarding schools. Predictable termly payment schedules suit forwards or rate alerts. Tuition fees, living expenses, and accommodation costs all flow through this corridor.
Saudi residents drawing Canadian pension income or receiving Canadian rental income, converting CAD receipts to SAR for local living costs. The reverse — converting SAR business receipts to CAD for Canadian obligations — is also common.
You can convert Saudi riyals to Canadian dollars through your bank, through a transfer app, or through a broker. SAR is less commonly handled by retail FX apps, which means broker access and competitive pricing are particularly valuable for this corridor.
Everything clients typically ask about sending Saudi riyals to Canadian dollars. Still have questions? Message us on WhatsApp — a real dealer, not a bot, will reply.
Because the Saudi riyal is pegged to the US dollar at 3.75 SAR per USD, a peg that has held since 1986. This means SAR moves whenever USD moves. So SAR/CAD effectively reflects USD/CAD dynamics — oil prices, US data, BoC versus Fed policy, and global risk sentiment dominate the pair.
We never forecast — but the chart above puts today's rate in context. Because SAR tracks USD, the question is really about USD/CAD direction. Rate alerts let you set a target level and wait passively rather than guessing on macro.
Saudi and Canadian banks typically mark up SAR/CAD by 2–4% for retail customers. SummitFX spreads are 0.6–1.0% depending on size. On a SAR 2,500,000 Canadian property deposit (~C$925,000), the saving versus a bank can run from C$10,000 to C$25,000.
If your SAR arrives with us by 14:00 UK time on a UK business day, we settle the CAD the same day. SWIFT delivery to Canadian recipient banks typically takes a few hours. Send your SAR wire in the Saudi morning to give the best chance of same-day Canadian settlement. Note the Saudi-Canadian weekend mismatch — Saudi banks are open Sunday-Thursday.
Yes. Canadian conveyancing typically runs 4-8 weeks during which SAR/CAD can move several percent (because USD/CAD can move several percent on oil price or risk sentiment shifts). A forward contract fixes today's rate for delivery on completion day. You pay a deposit (5–10% of the trade) upfront and settle the balance at completion.
No hard minimum — we handle trades from SAR 2,000 to SAR 20m+. Below around SAR 25,000 (~C$9,500) the spread widens slightly to cover fixed execution costs. For recurring smaller payments to Canadian family or for repatriation, market orders or standing arrangements work better than ad-hoc bookings.
The rate shown on Google, XE, or the chart above is the mid-market rate — the midpoint of interbank buy and sell quotes. Nobody gets exactly that rate; providers add a margin. Banks typically 2–4%, Wise and other apps 0.8–1.2% on this less-liquid pair, SummitFX 0.6–1.0% — with our clients also getting a named dealer and WhatsApp access.
Saudi banks operate Sunday-Thursday while Canadian banks operate Monday-Friday. This means SAR wires initiated on Sunday won't reach Canada until Monday. Wires initiated late Thursday Saudi time may miss the European Friday cutoff and settle on Monday in Canada. We always confirm the actual settlement date when you book — there are no surprises.
Message us on WhatsApp and we'll have a live executable rate back in seconds.