Safaricom, Airtel Money Open Capital Markets to Everyday Kenyans

The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has granted official licenses to telecommunications giants Safaricom PLC and Airtel Money Kenya Limited to operate as Intermediary Service Platform Providers (ISPPs), opening the door for millions of mobile users to access Kenya’s capital markets.

In a statement released Monday, December 22, the regulator emphasized that these strategic approvals aim to intensify competition and dramatically expand digital access to regulated investment products across Kenya’s financial ecosystem.

“The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has granted approval to Safaricom Plc and Airtel Money Kenya Limited to operate as Intermediary Service Platform Providers. The licensing of both companies is expected to enhance competition, expand investor choice, and strengthen digital access to regulated capital markets products,” the statement confirmed.

Capital.com Also Gets Green Light for Forex Trading

Simultaneously, CMA licensed CC Kenya Securities Limited, which operates under the brand Capital.com, to function as a Dealing Online Foreign Exchange Broker, adding another dimension to Kenya’s expanding digital financial services landscape.

“A dealing broker is authorized to act as a principal and market maker in online foreign exchange trading. This includes opening client accounts, providing trading platforms, offering market information, monitoring positions, and issuing end-of-day reports, in accordance with the Capital Markets (Online Foreign Exchange Trading) Regulations, 2017,” CMA explained.

What ISPPs Mean for Ordinary Kenyans

Intermediary Service Platform Providers (ISPPs) fulfill a critical role in democratizing Kenya’s capital markets by delivering mobile and web-based platforms that provide everyday investors seamless access to regulated financial products, including shares, bonds, unit trusts, and diverse investment options.

These innovative platforms transform the investor experience by streamlining account opening procedures, identity verification (KYC) processes, order placement, portfolio management, real-time transaction tracking, and instant confirmation notifications.

Safaricom Prepares January 2026 Launch of Ziidi Trader

Safaricom is actively preparing to launch Ziidi Trader, a groundbreaking new feature embedded within the ubiquitous M-Pesa app, which will empower users to buy and sell shares directly on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

Currently undergoing pilot testing, the revolutionary platform is scheduled to go fully live in January 2026, potentially bringing stock market investing to M-Pesa’s massive user base.

Ziidi Trader will deliver comprehensive features including personalized watchlists, customizable price alerts, and sophisticated portfolio tracking tools, equipping investors with a complete digital toolkit to manage their investments from their mobile phones.

Part of Broader Fintech Innovation Push

This landmark development follows CMA’s September 2025 licensing of Jipay Payment Solutions and Sycamore Capital (Cashlet App) as ISPPs, demonstrating the regulator’s accelerating commitment to nurturing local fintech innovation.

“The licensing of Jipay Payment Solutions Limited and Sycamore Capital Limited demonstrates the Authority’s commitment to supporting homegrown fintech innovations that address real market needs, while ensuring robust investor protection. These approvals mark an important step towards deepening capital markets participation, promoting savings and investment among underserved communities, and aligning with Kenya’s broader digital financial inclusion agenda,” CMA CEO Wycliffe Shamiah declared.

The entry of Safaricom and Airtel Money into capital markets infrastructure represents a watershed moment that could fundamentally reshape how millions of Kenyans interact with investment opportunities.

With Safaricom’s M-Pesa commanding over 30 million active users and Airtel Money serving over 24 million customers, these platforms possess unprecedented reach to bring previously excluded populations into formal investment channels.

Industry analysts predict this mobile-first approach to stock trading could trigger explosive growth in retail investor participation, particularly among Kenya’s tech-savvy youth population that has largely remained disconnected from traditional capital markets.

The move also intensifies pressure on conventional stockbrokers to digitize their operations and compete with the convenience and accessibility that mobile money platforms can deliver.

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