.png "Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has exited Meta, Alibaba, and other big tech stocks, signaling a shift from global equity bets toward Vision 2030 projects and domestic growth priorities.")
I’m Aadi, an MBA who’s pretty addicted to watching how big pools of capital move. I’ve helped startups think through strategy and watched investors overthink their bets on buzzy sectors. In this piece, I’m breaking down what the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s big tech sell-off might quietly signal as no jargon, no fluff, just a friend explaining the money moves.
Summary:
So the world’s nearly trillion dollar sovereign fund just sold off its stake in Meta Alibaba Shopify and more. Does that matter to you If you care about markets startups or global capital flows read on you might get a weird but useful perspective.
1. The fund dropped its entire holdings in Meta PayPal Alibaba Shopify FedEx and Nu Holdings over the past quarter.
2. Its exposure to US equities shrunk from about 25.5 billion to 23.8 billion in just 90 days.
3. The moves come amid a bounce-back in US markets after an April tumble tied to trade tensions.
4. PIF seems to be leaning in more on its Vision 2030 gigs like NEOM and domestic infrastructure.
5. They’re still big on global deals too think Uber LIV Golf and Newcastle United.
Alright let me talk to you straight. Imagine PIF as that friend who’s been riding the tech bull like it was a favorite roller coaster. Suddenly one quarter they hop off and walk away from stocks like Meta and Alibaba. Not because they hate them but maybe they’ve decided there are bigger thrills closer to home.
They pulled back nearly two billion dollars from US equities. Markets were already clawing their way back from April slumps thanks to tariff scare, and they still hit the exit. That tells me this might be less panic sell and more premeditated shift in strategy.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Vision 2030 has been a fancy mantra for all things domestic Saudi future. They want futuristic cities and local economic transformation. A smart observer might say they’re moving from flashy foreign tech bets to building real stuff back home. And events like writing off 8 billion in the NEOM megaproject buzz hint at a recalibration.
Still they haven’t turned their backs on global action. There are big stakes in Uber Lucid and sports teams. That dual play feels less chopped and more layered. Twenty twenty-five looks like a pivot year. They are saying we still want global, just in different flavors.
If you’re building something or investing control over buzz isn’t always everything. Sometimes the real signal is where the crowd stops throwing in more cash and starts building something concrete.
5 Do’s and Don’ts for Founders, Investors, and Finance Buffs:
1. Do pay attention when big funds reduce exposure to mega tech stocks sometimes that hints at thematic shifts.
2. Do think about local versus global focus. Not every fund wants to chase every IPO wave.
3. Do connect macro moves to real strategy not just market noise.
4. Don’t assume a sell-off means doom and gloom could be a smart rebalancing for Vision or stabilizing.
5. Don’t ignore what stays in the fund’s portfolio. What they keep matters as much as what they drop.