Saudi Riyal · ﷼ · Official currency of Saudi Arabia
The Saudi riyal (﷼) became a standardized currency after the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1935. Its name derives from the Spanish silver 'real.'
Six denominations circulate: 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 riyals, featuring a portrait of the Saudi king and major historical sites of the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has very high adoption of card and mobile payments (like mada and Apple Pay), making it one of the easier countries to get around without cash. That said, cash — especially small bills — is still useful at small shops and in areas with heavy pilgrim traffic. The riyal is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate, so there's relatively little to worry about in terms of exchange rate swings.
You can view the real banknote designs on the Saudi Central Bank's official page.
See Saudi Riyal banknotes at today's exchange rate →