Safaricom Plc is piloting a new mobile trading feature, Ziidi Trader, that integrates directly with the M-PESA platform to make stock trading simple and accessible for millions of Kenyans.
The new feature aims to lower entry barriers for retail investors by allowing users to buy and sell shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) directly from their M-PESA accounts. With more than 34 million M-PESA users, Safaricom is leveraging its vast customer base and digital reach to bring investing closer to everyday Kenyans who may not have formal financial training.
How Ziidi Trader Works
Ziidi Trader is built into the M-PESA app, giving users a seamless experience without needing separate brokerage accounts or platforms. Through the feature, users can view their portfolios, monitor performance, set price alerts, create watchlists, and track dividend payments in real time.
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Deposits and withdrawals are connected directly to M-PESA, allowing users to begin trading with ease and transparency.
Safaricom’s Broader Financial Services Push
This move aligns with Safaricom’s strategy to evolve M-PESA from a mobile payments tool into a comprehensive financial services platform offering investment, insurance, and savings products.
By expanding into trading, Safaricom is positioning itself at the center of Kenya’s growing fintech ecosystem, a sector that continues to attract both local and international attention due to its innovation and scale.
Boosting Retail Participation on the NSE
For the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Ziidi Trader supports the goals outlined in its Strategic Plan 2025–2029, which targets increasing the number of active retail investors to nine million. The exchange aims to simplify investment processes, improve financial literacy, and leverage digital channels to bring more Kenyans into the capital markets.
Market observers say Safaricom’s entry could accelerate these ambitions by reducing the complexity of trading and making investment tools more familiar through M-PESA’s trusted interface.
Why It Matters for Kenya’s Digital Economy
Kenya remains a leader in mobile banking and digital finance, driven by strong infrastructure and high mobile penetration. Safaricom’s expansion into stock trading builds on this foundation and could redefine how citizens engage with financial markets.
If the pilot phase succeeds and the feature is rolled out nationwide, Ziidi Trader could democratize investing, enabling millions of Kenyans, especially young and first-time investors to participate in wealth creation through the stock market.
