In a move set to redefine wealth creation for millions, ordinary Kenyans will soon be able to buy and sell shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) with the same ease as sending money or paying for groceries—directly from their mobile phones. This follows the Capital Markets Authority's (CMA) landmark approval for Safaricom PLC and Airtel Money Kenya Limited to operate as Intermediary Service Platform Providers (ISPPs).

This development is the most significant step yet in democratizing access to the country's capital markets, a domain traditionally seen as complex and reserved for a select few. The new licenses are expected to enhance competition, expand investor choice, and significantly strengthen digital access to regulated investment products. For the average Kenyan, this means the long-standing barriers of finding a stockbroker and navigating cumbersome paperwork are about to be dismantled.

From Payments to Investments

The integration of mobile money into the stock market infrastructure is a natural evolution for a nation that leads the world in mobile money penetration. Safaricom is set to launch a feature called Ziidi Trader within its M-Pesa app, which will allow users to open a trading account, select listed companies, and execute trades in under two minutes with as little as KES 100. This initiative aims to convert M-Pesa from a simple payment tool into a powerful platform for wealth growth.

The move mirrors the successful 2017 launch of M-Akiba, a world-first mobile-traded government bond that demonstrated Kenyans' appetite for accessible investment products. Analysts believe this new framework could be even more transformative.

• Increased Participation: The NSE has struggled with stagnant investor growth, adding only 2,621 new active traders between 2023 and 2025. With over 35 million active M-Pesa users, the potential for new retail investors is enormous.
• Simplified Process: The new system will use an omnibus account structure, pooling investor funds and removing the need for individual CDS accounts at the entry stage, which often took weeks to open.
• Instant Transactions: The integration promises real-time trading, same-day settlement, and instant mobile withdrawals, a stark contrast to the traditional T+3 settlement cycle.

A New Era for the Kenyan Economy

NSE Chief Executive Frank Mwiti noted that this initiative is central to the exchange's strategy of growing active retail investors into the millions by making the market seamless and accessible. By meeting investors where their money already resides—in their mobile wallets—the NSE can tap into a vast pool of household liquidity previously disconnected from the capital markets.

The impact could extend beyond individual wealth. Techpreneur Kiama MJ Mutahi hailed the innovation as "wealth redistribution through infrastructure," predicting that if just 10% of M-Pesa's users invested KES 1,000 monthly, it would inject over KES 40 billion ($248.8 million) in new retail capital annually. This influx of liquidity could bolster the NSE and provide listed companies with a new micro-investor base.

While Safaricom's Ziidi Trader is nearing its official launch after a pilot phase, the licensing of both giants, Safaricom and Airtel, signals a competitive and dynamic future. It's a future where a bodaboda rider in Kisumu and a banker in Westlands have the same power to invest, fundamentally changing the conversation around wealth-building for every Kenyan.