In July 1999 SAMBA merged with United Saudi Bank through an Exchange of shares, to form one of the largest banks in the Middle East. Before the merger Citibank owned 30 percent of Samba, having sold a 10 percent tranche to two public agencies in 1991. After the merger, Citibank was still the largest shareholder with 23 percent of the shares. Kingdom Holding Company (owned by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal) also had a large share ownership deriving from his ownership in United Saudi Bank.
