Revolutionizing Wealth: M-PESA’s Direct NSE Trading Ushers in a New Era for Kenyan Investors
Safaricom’s latest innovation integrates stock trading directly into the M-PESA app via Ziidi Trader, allowing users to buy and sell Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) shares seamlessly from their phones.
This pilot feature marks a pivotal shift toward democratizing access to capital markets for everyday Kenyans.
“Use it your way. People use the stock market in different ways, and ZiiDi Trader gives you the flexibility to decide how and when to trade,” the service notes.
“Simple and convenient. Buy and sell shares digitally using your M-PESA wallet, with no paperwork and everything you need to trade and track activity in one place.”
Feature Breakdown
Ziidi Trader offers a user-friendly, dark-themed interface with tools like portfolio overviews, performance graphs, watchlists, price alerts, and dividend tracking—all within M-PESA.
Deposits and withdrawals happen instantly via M-PESA, bypassing traditional brokerage hurdles such as CDSC accounts and paperwork.
This builds on the success of Ziidi Money Market Fund, which hit Ksh 10.68 billion in assets by mid-2025, proving demand for mobile investments.
Historical Context
Trading NSE shares previously demanded licensed brokers, documentation, and minimum balances, limiting active traders to about 61,000 out of 1.4 million registered accounts.
M-PESA, handling 45.4% of Safaricom’s revenue at Ksh 88.06 billion in FY2026 half-year results, evolved from payments to a full financial hub including savings and insurance.
This highlights the pilot’s “easy and convenient” design, aligning with Safaricom’s fintech expansion.
Economic Impact
This launch, set for full rollout in January 2026, could boost NSE liquidity and retail participation, mobilizing domestic capital amid modest current engagement.
Analysts predict a surge in young and rural investors, fostering financial inclusion and potentially lifting Safaricom shares, up 65.4% year-to-date by late 2025.
It supports CMA reforms like single-share trading and mobile treasury access, positioning Kenya as a fintech leader in Africa.
Start with small amounts post-launch, using M-PESA for low-risk entry while monitoring alerts and graphs.
Risks include market volatility, so pair with education on trading basics; regulators emphasize protections via ISPP licensing. For NSE updates, follow official channels for real-time insights.