Safaricom Launches Ziidi Trader on M-PESA, Opening Kenya’s Capital Markets to Retail Investors
The launch signals a new era for Kenya’s financial system, where trading on the NSE is no longer limited to institutions and a few high-net-worth individuals. It represents a step toward broader participation and democratization of the country’s capital markets.
Safaricom PLC has unveiled Ziidi Trader, a new feature on its M-PESA platform that allows Kenyans to trade shares directly on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), marking a significant step in the company’s evolution from a mobile payments service to a full-scale digital financial ecosystem.
Speaking at the launch, Safaricom’s Chief Financial Officer, Dilip Pal, highlighted the milestone as part of the company’s ongoing mission to deepen financial inclusion and expand wealth creation opportunities for all Kenyans.
“Today marks an important milestone in Safaricom’s journey to strengthen the financial wellbeing of every Kenyan. With Ziidi Trader now live on M-PESA, we are extending the platform beyond payments and short-term transactions into long-term wealth creation through securities trading on the NSE. To support this future, we have made significant investments in transforming M-PESA into a cloud-native, AI-enabled platform built for scale, resilience, and trust. This foundation strengthens fraud detection, improves reliability, and gives us the confidence to introduce innovative services like Ziidi Trader securely and at scale. Our ambition is to build Africa’s leading purpose-led digital financial ecosystem, one that seamlessly brings together payments, savings, credit, investments, government services, developers, and partners under a single, trusted platform.
-Dilip Pal, Chief Financial Officer, Safaricom
The launch comes after substantial investment in transforming M-PESA into a cloud-native, AI-enabled platform designed for scale, resilience, and trust. These upgrades enhance fraud detection, improve reliability, and provide the foundation for innovative services such as Ziidi Trader.
Safaricom aims to build Africa’s leading purpose-driven digital financial ecosystem, seamlessly integrating payments, savings, credit, investments, government services, and developer and partner solutions under a single trusted platform.
The rollout of Ziidi Trader, which operates under the oversight of the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and in partnership with the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Kenya Association of Stockbrokers and Investment Banks (KASIB), and the Central Depository and Settlement Corporation (CDSC), opens the doors for millions of retail investors. The platform enables users to buy and sell shares, track portfolios, monitor company performance, and receive real-time market updates—all within the familiar M-PESA app.
For the past 18 years, M‑PESA has been at the centre of Kenya’s financial inclusion story, expanding access, enabling opportunity, and transforming lives. Today, Safaricom PLC takes another bold step forward as we evolve beyond payments to empower Kenyans to invest and grow their wealth. With this platform, we are giving Kenyans greater control over their financial future. By combining trusted technology with accessible guidance, Ziidi Trader creates a safe and supportive environment where anyone can begin their investment journey with confidence, grow their wealth, and strengthen their long‑term financial wellbeing.”
-Dr. Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom PLC
The launch signals a new era for Kenya’s financial system, where trading on the NSE is no longer limited to institutions and a few high-net-worth individuals. It represents a step toward broader participation and democratization of the country’s capital markets.
