Safaricom Introduces Ziidi Trader Expanding Retail Access to Markets

Safaricom PLC has unveiled Ziidi Trader, a mobile-based share trading platform embedded within the M-PESA app, marking a major shift in how Kenyans access the capital markets. The platform enables users to buy and sell shares listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange PLC directly through M-PESA and USSD, effectively lowering long-standing barriers that have limited retail participation in securities trading.

By removing the requirement for individual Central Depository System accounts, Ziidi Trader simplifies entry into the stock market for first-time and small-scale investors. Trades are executed through a pooled omnibus account managed by Kestrel Capital (EA) Ltd, a structure designed to reduce friction, speed up execution, and support small-ticket transactions while maintaining regulatory oversight

The initiative reflects Safaricom’s evolution from a payments-focused service into a broader digital financial ecosystem. According to the company, the launch follows significant investments in transforming M-PESA Africa into a cloud-native, AI-enabled platform that enhances fraud detection, reliability, and scalability, providing a secure foundation for more advanced financial services such as investments and wealth creation.

Market participants and regulators see Ziidi Trader as a potential catalyst for reversing declining retail participation at the NSE, particularly among younger and first-time investors. By integrating trading, payments, portfolio tracking, and real-time market data into a single, familiar mobile interface, the platform aligns with changing consumer behaviour and growing demand for accessible digital investment tools.

Safaricom leadership and government stakeholders have framed the launch as part of a wider effort to democratise access to financial markets and expand wealth creation opportunities across the country. The rollout, undertaken in collaboration with the Capital Markets Authority – Kenya, the NSE, CDSC, and industry partners, signals a significant step toward a more inclusive, participatory, and digitally driven capital markets ecosystem in Kenya.