NAIROBI, Kenya — Telecommunications giant Safaricom PLC has begun piloting Ziidi Trader, a new feature within the M-PESA app that will allow users to buy and sell shares listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) directly from their mobile wallets.
The innovation marks a major milestone in Safaricom’s push to transform M-PESA from a payments platform into a comprehensive financial services ecosystem, integrating investments, insurance, and savings into everyday mobile use.
Early glimpses of the pilot show a sleek, dark-themed interface offering users portfolio dashboards, performance charts, and customizable watchlists and price alerts.
The feature is designed to make retail investing “easy and convenient,” allowing seamless deposits and withdrawals directly through M-PESA.
If rolled out commercially, the platform could redefine retail participation in Kenya’s capital markets by lowering entry barriers and allowing millions of M-PESA users to access the NSE without the need for brokers or separate trading accounts.
“Ziidi Trader is part of our strategy to democratize investment access through digital innovation,” said a source familiar with the pilot. “We’re merging Kenya’s most trusted fintech ecosystem with its capital market infrastructure.”
The pilot follows the success of Ziidi Money Market Fund (MMF), launched in December 2024 in partnership with Standard Investment Bank and ALA Capital Limited.
The MMF allows M-PESA users to invest as little as Sh100, earning daily interest while retaining full liquidity through instant withdrawals.
As of June 30, 2025, the Ziidi MMF had achieved Sh10.68 billion in assets under management (AUM), generating Sh354.36 million in half-year investment income. Operating expenses totaled Sh81.28 million, leaving a Sh273.08 million surplus attributable to unitholders.
The strong performance underscores Kenya’s growing appetite for digital-first investment products, particularly among younger and mobile-savvy investors.
According to Safaricom’s half-year results for the 2026 financial year, released on November 6, 2025, M-PESA accounted for 45.4pc of total service revenue, growing 14.0pc year-over-year to Sh88.06 billion.
The growth was driven by higher transaction volumes, an expanded merchant network, and increased adoption of digital financial products such as Ziidi MMF.
Safaricom now serves 62.27 million total customers, with 46.44 million being active on M-PESA each month — figures that analysts say position the telco to become East Africa’s leading fintech powerhouse.
If successfully deployed, Ziidi Trader could significantly expand retail participation in Kenya’s stock market, aligning with the Capital Markets Authority’s broader goal of deepening financial inclusion through digital access.
“Safaricom’s entry into trading could catalyze a new era of retail investment,” said a Nairobi-based financial analyst. “Bringing the NSE to M-PESA’s fingertips is a game-changer for market liquidity and investor education.”
With the pilot underway, Safaricom is expected to refine the platform before an official public launch, potentially making stock trading as simple as sending money on M-PESA.
