Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been recognised as the world’s most active sovereign wealth fund (SWF) in 2025, leading global investment activity with a total of $36.2 billion deployed over the year, according to data from the advisory firm Global SWF.
The surge in PIF’s investment spending represents an 81 per cent increase from 2024 and was driven in large measure by a single landmark transaction — its $28.8 billion acquisition of US video-game giant Electronic Arts, which gave the fund a dominant stake in one of the world’s largest entertainment companies.
The shift toward global investments in 2025 marked a change in strategy after a heavier domestic focus the previous year, reflecting the Kingdom’s ambitions to broaden the fund’s international footprint as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda. With assets exceeding $1.15 trillion, PIF has already exceeded its targets ahead of schedule and now ranks among the top sovereign funds globally by size.
Despite PIF’s position at the top in terms of investment activity, regional peers also played a significant role: the UAE’s Mubadala Investment Company followed closely with approximately $32.7 billion deployed across some 40 global transactions during 2025. Together, Gulf SWFs — including ADIA, ADQ, the Kuwait Investment Authority and Qatar Investment Authority — accounted for about 43 per cent of all global sovereign investment spending last year.
The fund’s leadership in deal-making underlines Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in global financial markets and highlights the expanding role of sovereign investors in sectors ranging from technology and entertainment to infrastructure and renewable energy.
PIF’s performance in 2025 illustrates not only its substantial capital capacity but also the broader trend of sovereign funds stepping up activity worldwide in response to shifting economic conditions and strategic priorities post-pandemic.