KAFD: A district designed for the future

There are financial districts – and then there are districts designed to feel like cities within cities.

King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) has become one of the defining features of Riyadh’s modern skyline. But it’s the intention behind it that’s truly interesting. That’s why we’re taking our visitors there on a LEAP Nights tour this April – there’s still time for you to book a place. 

Built as a flagship development aligned with Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification agenda, KAFD was conceived as an integrated urban ecosystem. Finance is the anchor, but the ambition is much broader: to create a place where global capital, regional entrepreneurship and everyday urban life intersect.

A district built around movement

KAFD recently became the first financial district in the world to achieve ModeScore Communities Platinum certification, recognising excellence in sustainable, multimodal mobility planning. That might sound technical, but in plain terms it means this: the district has been designed around how people actually move.

We’re talking metro connectivity and walkable streets; climate-controlled pedestrian skywalks linking buildings above ground. Public spaces that encourage circulation rather than congestion.

In many global financial centres, infrastructure is retrofitted around density. Here, mobility is foundational. That translates into: 

• Greater accessibility for businesses 
• More fluidity for residents and visitors 
• A strong sign that in a city expanding at pace, urban planners are thinking long-term

Work, live, stay – in one place

KAFD spans approximately 1.6 million square metres of mixed-use space, combining offices, residences, hospitality and retail. So yes, it’s big – but it definitely isn’t defined by scale alone. 

The district is very deliberately layered. 

International hospitality brands are embedding themselves into the ecosystem. Kimpton KAFD Riyadh (the first Kimpton property in the Middle East) opened its doors in 2025, adding 212 rooms and community-driven spaces designed to blur the line between business and lifestyle. Meanwhile, W Riyadh – KAFD is set to open in 2026, marking the brand’s debut in Saudi Arabia.

These openings reflect confidence from global operators willing to invest in long-term presence.

And financial institutions are doing the same. Asset management firm Kamco Invest, for example, has relocated its Saudi offices into KAFD, reinforcing its role as an emerging hub for regional capital flows. 

When international finance, hospitality and innovation-driven industries choose to cluster in one district, momentum builds. And in urban development, momentum is magnetic.

Architecture with ambition

KAFD’s skyline is unapologetically contemporary – angular facades and geometric repetition. But apart from aesthetics alone, the masterplan integrates smart-city infrastructure and digital connectivity standards, including recognition as a leading smart neighbourhood in the region.

In practical terms, that means future-facing digital infrastructure embedded at the district level (not added later as an upgrade). This is critical for companies operating in rapidly developing sectors, like fintech, climate tech, AI or digital infrastructure. The environment reflects the forward posture of these sectors.

A living context for global conversations

If you visit KAFD during LEAP week, you’ll understand the environment around LEAP more clearly. Because when future-focused conversations happen inside a district that’s purpose-built to attract global capital and innovation, they feel anchored within real, structural transformation. 

Including a tour of KAFD in our LEAP Nights experiences for 2026 is a way to deepen your perspective on the event, the city, the country, and the region. It’s an opportunity for you to see how policy and investment converge physically on the ground. 

Riyadh is hosting a global dialogue about the future of technology and capital. And it’s also building the framework to support that future. 

Experience KAFD with a guided tour as part of LEAP Nights 2026. Learn more here.