You’ve sent money via M-PESA thousands of times. Paid bills, bought airtime, transferred to family. But have you ever owned a piece of the companies behind these services—Safaricom, Equity Bank, or KCB?
For decades, the Nairobi Securities Exchange operated like an exclusive club. You needed a stockbroker, paperwork, CDSC accounts, and often minimum investments that locked out ordinary Kenyans. While over 32 million people used M-PESA daily, only about 6,000 Kenyans actively traded stocks.
Safaricom recently launched Ziidi Trader to close that gap. It’s a platform built directly into M-PESA that connects you to the NSE—no broker required, no complex processes, no traditional barriers. Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is Ziidi Trader?
Ziidi Trader is a mini-app inside M-PESA that gives you direct access to buy and sell shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. Think of it as M-PESA for stock ownership.
The Simple Definition
It connects M-PESA users straight to the NSE without middlemen.
You browse companies listed on the exchange. Select how many shares you want. Pay from your M-PESA wallet. You become a shareholder.
When you’re ready to sell, money comes back to M-PESA. Real-time settlement. Instant access.
Three Core Functions
Buying shares
Purchase stock in any NSE-listed company—Safaricom, Equity Group, KCB, EABL, and 60+ others. Pick a company, choose quantity (even one share), and confirm. Funds move from M-PESA to the market.
Tracking performance
Your dashboard shows your portfolio in real-time. Current value, gains, losses, individual stock movements—all updated live during market hours. You get corporate action alerts when companies declare dividends or announce major changes.
Selling and withdrawing
Sell shares through the same interface. Once matched with a buyer, money hits M-PESA instantly. No three-day waiting periods.
What Makes It Different
The revolution isn’t just technological—it’s about access.
| Traditional NSE Access | Ziidi Trader |
| Need a licensed stockbroker | Direct access via M-PESA |
| Open CDSC account (48+ hours) | Opt-in takes seconds |
| Often minimum Ksh 10K-50K | Buy one share (Ksh 15+) |
| Multiple accounts needed | Just M-PESA wallet |
| 3-day settlement | Real-time settlement |
| 2.1% typical commission | 1.5% commission |
| Bank transfers required | M-PESA direct |
Traditional broker processes were built for institutions. Ziidi Trader was built for the 32 million Kenyans who already trust M-PESA.
What Ziidi Trader Is NOT
Let’s be clear about three critical points.
Not investment advice
Ziidi Trader is a platform, not a financial advisor. Safaricom will never tell you which stocks to buy or sell. Those decisions—and their consequences—are entirely yours.
Not a get-rich-quick scheme
You won’t turn Ksh 5,000 into Ksh 500,000 in six months. Real wealth building through equity markets takes years, discipline, and patience.
Not guaranteed returns
Unlike savings accounts with fixed interest, stock prices move up and down. You can—and likely will—lose money at some point.
Ziidi Trader provides access. What you do with that access determines everything else.
How Ziidi Trader Actually Works
Understanding the mechanics removes the mystery. Here’s the complete process.
Getting Started
Requirements
You need three things: be 18+ with a valid Kenyan ID, have an active M-PESA account, and own a smartphone with the M-PESA app.
Onboarding
Open the M-PESA app, navigate to Financial Services, select Ziidi Trader, accept terms and conditions. That’s it. No forms, no bank statements, no branch visits.
CDSC account question
Traditional NSE investing requires a Central Depository & Settlement Corporation (CDSC) account for share ownership records. Ziidi Trader uses an omnibus structure—Safaricom holds a master CDSC account with your shares individually allocated within it.
You legally own your shares but avoid the administrative burden of maintaining a separate account. This enables instant access.
Buying Your First Share
Step 1: Browse and research
Explore NSE-listed companies via the dashboard. View live prices, daily changes, trading volume, and company information. The interface shows market movers and corporate action updates.
Before buying anything, research. Read what the company does. Check recent performance. Look at the dividend history if passive income matters.
Step 2: Navigate to the Trade tab
From your Ziidi Trader dashboard, tap the “Trade” tab. This shows all available securities on the NSE with current pricing, available volumes, and bid/ask prices.
Select the company you want to invest in. The platform displays key information including the current share price, recent performance, and trading activity.
Step 3: Choose your pricing method
When you tap “Buy,” Ziidi Trader offers two pricing options:
Best Price: Automatically accepts the current market price. Your order matches immediately if shares are available at that price. This is the fastest option for liquid stocks.
Own Price: Set your preferred bid price. Your order will only execute if a seller accepts your price. Useful if you want to buy at a specific price point, but execution isn’t guaranteed.
For beginners, “Best Price” ensures faster execution on popular stocks.
Step 4: Enter quantity and review
Enter the number of shares you want to purchase. The platform calculates your total cost in real-time:
Real example using current prices:
- Safaricom @ Ksh 32.00/share
- Buying 100 shares
- Subtotal: Ksh 3,200.00
- Commission (1.5%): Ksh 48.00
- Total: Ksh 3,248.00
This breakdown appears in your trade summary before confirmation. Review it carefully.
Step 5: Confirm and execute
The confirmation flow is:
- Tap “Buy Shares”
- Tap “Proceed”
- Tap “Buy Shares” again
- Enter your M-PESA PIN
The exact amount is deducted from your M-PESA wallet immediately. Your funds are reserved while the order searches for a matching seller.
Step 6: Order matching and settlement
Your buy order is now “Good Till Day”—valid until 3:00 PM market close.
Stock markets aren’t stores—they’re marketplaces where buyers meet sellers. Your order searches for someone selling at your price. When found, the trade executes.
Popular stocks like Safaricom match within seconds because thousands trade daily. Less-traded companies may queue longer waiting for sellers.
If your order doesn’t execute by 3:00 PM, it expires automatically and your funds are reversed back to your M-PESA wallet. No penalties, no fees for unfilled orders.
Step 7: Ownership confirmation
Once matched, settlement is real-time. Shares appear in your portfolio immediately. You’re now a legal shareholder with dividend rights and voting privileges.
You’ll receive M-PESA notifications confirming:
- Order received
- Order processing status
- Execution outcome (fully or partially fulfilled)
Managing Your Portfolio
Dashboard overview
The main view shows total portfolio value, overall gains/losses (shillings and percentages), and individual holdings breakdown. Each stock displays the current price, quantity owned, average buy price, and unrealized profit/loss.
Real-time data
During NSE trading hours (Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-3:00 PM), prices update live. Track market movers, gainers/losers, overall sentiment through indices like the NSE 20.
Outside these hours, you can browse your portfolio and research companies, but cannot execute trades. Orders placed outside market hours queue for the next trading session.
Corporate actions
When companies you own declare dividends, announce splits, or issue rights, you receive platform notifications. The “Corporate Actions” section shows all announcements that impact your holdings.
Selling and Withdrawing
Placing sell orders
From your portfolio, select the shares you want to sell. Tap “Sell” and choose:
Best Price: Accepts the highest price buyers are currently offering. Fastest execution for liquid stocks.
Own Price: Set your minimum acceptable price (asking price). The order waits until a buyer meets your price.
Specify quantity—you can sell your full position or partial holdings.
Buyer matching requirement
Just as buying needs sellers, selling needs buyers. Your shares queue until someone purchases at market price.
Liquidity varies by stock. High-volume counters like Safaricom, KCB, and Equity match quickly—often within minutes. Thinly-traded stocks might take hours or even days.
Important: Selling is not guaranteed. If no buyer emerges by 3:00 PM, your sell order expires and shares remain in your portfolio.
Instant M-PESA credit
When your sell order successfully matches with a buyer, proceeds are credited to your M-PESA wallet immediately.
This is real instant settlement—no T+2 waiting period, no clearing cycle delays, no intermediary holds. The cash becomes spendable within seconds.
Zero fees for moving money between M-PESA and Ziidi Trader. No withdrawal minimums. No transaction charges for deposits or withdrawals.
Why Ziidi Trader Matters
Understanding this platform requires understanding what came before—and what was broken.
The NSE Access Problem
Kenya has 51 million people and Africa’s most successful mobile money ecosystem. Yet only about 6,000 Kenyans actively trade stocks monthly.
That’s a 0.012% participation rate.
According to the Capital Markets Authority, approximately 1.6 million registered CDSC accounts exist in Kenya. But less than 0.4% trade regularly. Most sit dormant—opened once, funded once, then abandoned.
Meanwhile, foreign investors control roughly 65% of NSE trading activity. Institutional investors dominate the remaining 35%. Retail Kenyans barely register.
The barriers were substantial:
Complexity
Traditional processes required eight steps: open CDSC account, choose broker, complete KYC, fund trading account via bank transfer, research stocks, place order through broker, wait for settlement, wait again for withdrawals.
High minimums
Many brokers imposed Ksh 10,000-50,000 minimum trades. For someone earning Ksh 30,000 monthly, that’s prohibitive.
Cost layers
CDSC fees, broker commissions (typically 2.1%), transaction charges, sometimes annual maintenance fees. Small investments became uneconomical.
Knowledge gatekeeping
Stock markets were culturally framed as “expert territory.” Resources existed but weren’t accessible in formats that everyday people could digest.
Infrastructure requirements
You needed banking access, physical proximity to brokers, and often desktop internet. Mobile solutions were limited.
Result? The NSE became institutional territory while most Kenyans parked wealth in savings accounts, earning 4-6% annually, consistently losing to inflation.
How Ziidi Trader Changes Everything
Every barrier above gets systematically removed.
Radical simplification
Eight steps become three: opt in, select shares, confirm. Everything happens in an app you already use daily.
Democratized minimums
Buy one share. If it trades at Ksh 32, your entry is Ksh 32 plus commission (Ksh 32.48 total). This opens markets to students, early-career professionals, and small business owners.
Universal access
Kenya’s 32 million M-PESA users now have potential NSE access. No bank account, broker relationship, or Nairobi proximity required.
Reduced costs
1.5% commission beats typical 2.1% broker fees. Moving money between M-PESA and Ziidi Trader is free—no deposit fees, no withdrawal charges.
Speed transformation
Real-time settlement means immediate share ownership and instant cash access on sales. Three-day settlement lags disappear.
The Bigger Vision
This isn’t just easier trading—it’s economic participation rebalanced.
When foreign investors own 65% of NSE, profits from Kenyan companies flow overseas. When retail Kenyans become shareholders, profits stay local—reinvested in communities, spent in local businesses, compounded into generational wealth.
More retail investors mean higher daily trading activity. Greater liquidity makes markets more efficient, reduces volatility, and attracts more companies to list publicly.
Perhaps most importantly, Ziidi Trader shifts mindsets from consumer to owner. You’re not just buying from Safaricom or banking with Equity—you own pieces of these companies. You benefit when they succeed.
That psychological transformation changes how people think about wealth and economic power.
Safety, Regulation, and Real Risks
Before investing a single shilling, understand both protections and threats.
Platform Safety and Regulation
Ziidi Trader operates under Kenya’s securities regulatory framework involving three institutions:
Capital Markets Authority (CMA)
Licenses and regulates all securities trading platforms. Safaricom received CMA approval to operate Ziidi Trader, meaning the platform meets investor protection standards, maintains proper reserves, and submits to compliance audits.
Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE)
Provides the regulated marketplace where all trades occur. Sets listing requirements, monitors trading activity, enforces fair practices. When you buy through Ziidi Trader, you’re buying on the NSE—the same market institutions use.
CDSC
Maintains electronic ownership records for all Kenyan investors. Your shares are held in CDSC’s system under Safaricom’s omnibus account (managed through licensed broker Kestrel Capital) with your allocation clearly recorded. Your ownership is legally recognized.
What regulation protects
These frameworks ensure the platform operates fairly and legally. M-PESA security protects your wallet. CDSC records protect your ownership.
What regulation doesn’t protect
Market risk. If you buy shares in companies that fail, no regulator reimburses losses. Investment decisions are yours, consequences included.
The Real Risks (Unfiltered)
Five ways you can lose money:
Risk #1: Market volatility
Share prices fluctuate daily based on company performance, economic conditions, investor sentiment, sometimes for no clear reason.
Real scenario: Buy Safaricom at Ksh 32. Six months later, it’s Ksh 25. If you sell, you’ve lost Ksh 7 per share plus commissions on both sides. That’s real money gone.
Markets go up and down. Sometimes dramatically. If you can’t handle seeing Ksh 10,000 temporarily worth Ksh 7,000, you’re not ready for stocks.
Risk #2: Liquidity constraints
Selling requires willing buyers. Popular stocks like Safaricom match easily. Smaller companies might leave your sell order waiting hours, days, or weeks.
If you need cash urgently and shares won’t sell, you’re stuck. This is why experts say: only invest money you won’t need for 3-5+ years.
Risk #3: Company failure
Individual companies can underperform, face scandals, lose market share, or go bankrupt and delist.
Kenya has seen companies delist due to insolvency. When that happens, shares can become worthless. Diversification across multiple companies in different sectors reduces this risk.
Risk #4: No guarantees
Unlike bank savings guaranteeing 5% interest, stocks guarantee nothing. Historical data shows equity markets generally outperform savings over 10+ years, but past performance doesn’t guarantee future results.
Anyone promising specific returns is lying or ignorant.
Risk #5: Emotional decisions
Markets test psychology. When prices drop 20%, panic selling locks in losses. When prices soar 30%, greed-driven buying at peaks sets up future losses.
Behavioral finance research shows emotional decisions destroy more wealth than market downturns. Fear and greed kill returns.
Bottom Line
Ziidi Trader is a safe, regulated platform for accessing risky investments. The platform won’t scam you, but the market might humble you.
Who Should Use Ziidi Trader (And Who Should Wait)
Not everyone should use this platform right now.
Perfect For:
The curious beginner
Traditional brokers seemed intimidating. You’re comfortable with M-PESA and smartphones. You can start with Ksh 500-5,000 to learn mechanics without risking serious money.
The micro-investor
You have Ksh 1,000-10,000 monthly for long-term investing. Broker minimums locked you out before. Now you can build portfolios gradually, one payday at a time.
The M-PESA native
You already manage your financial life through M-PESA. Adding investments to that ecosystem feels natural. You value mobile-first solutions.
The long-term thinker
You’re investing for goals 5-20+ years away. You can handle portfolio drops because you won’t need this money soon. You understand compound growth requires patience.
Wait If:
You need this money soon
Rent, school fees, medical bills, and any expense within three years don’t belong in stocks. Markets can stay down for extended periods.
You’re chasing quick profits
If you think KSh 5,000 becomes KSh 50,000 in six months, you’ll lose that KSh 5,000. Ziidi Trader isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme—treating it that way guarantees disappointment.
You can’t handle volatility
If seeing Ksh 10,000 drop to Ksh 7,000 causes panic or sleeplessness, you’re not psychologically ready. Build emergency savings and stability first.
You haven’t researched
Jumping in because “everyone’s talking about it” is a loss recipe. Spend weeks learning NSE basics before investing anything.
Honest Recommendation
Start small. Invest Ksh 500-2,000 initially. Learn how the platform works, how matching happens, how prices move, and how your emotions respond.
Treat your first months as paid education. You might lose some money—consider it tuition.
As knowledge and confidence grow, scale up gradually. There’s no rush.
Getting Started: Practical Steps
From a complete beginner to a first shareholder.
Step 1: Educate Yourself
Before investing money, invest time in learning.
Core concepts: What are shares and why do companies issue them? How do prices change? What’s the difference between capital gains and dividends? How do you evaluate if a company is a good investment?
Resources: TheNSE investor education section covers market basics. The CMA website explains investor rights and responsibilities. Business Daily provides context on Kenyan companies and trends.
Spend at least a week absorbing information before buying.
Step 2: Set Clear Goals
Why are you doing this?
Define purpose
Retirement 25 years out? Child’s university in 10 years? Passive dividend income? Simply beating inflation? Different goals require different strategies.
Establish timeline
Money needed within 3 years doesn’t belong in stocks. Funds untouched for 10+ years can handle volatility.
Determine risk tolerance
Can you sleep if your portfolio drops 30%? Would you panic sell or see a buying opportunity?
Calculate affordability
How much monthly income can you invest without impacting essentials or emergency savings?
Write down answers. When markets get volatile (they will), these written goals keep you grounded.
Step 3: Access Ziidi Trader
The technical setup is straightforward.
Open the M-PESA app. Navigate to “Financial Services.” Select “Ziidi Trader” from the mini-apps. Read terms and conditions—actually read them. Accept and complete opt-in using your M-PESA PIN.
Before buying, explore the interface. Familiarize yourself with where stock prices are located, how to view your portfolio, and where corporate action notifications appear.
Step 4: Research Before Buying
Start with companies you understand
If you use M-PESA daily, you understand Safaricom’s value. If you bank with Equity, you know their service quality.
Examine fundamentals
Check recent annual reports (available on company websites or NSE). Are revenues growing? Are they profitable? How much debt?
Review price history
Look at performance over 1, 3, and 5 years. Trending up, down, sideways? Dramatic volatility suggests higher risk. Steady growth suggests stability.
Check dividends
If passive income matters, research whether companies pay dividends regularly, how much, and whether payments grow or shrink.
Don’t buy based on social media hype. Do your own research.
Step 5: Make Your First Trade
First purchase should be deliberately small—learning, not wealth-building.
Select one researched company
Buy 1-10 shares. Keep total under Ksh 2,000. Goal: education.
Experience the process
Place an order using the steps outlined earlier (Trade tab → Select stock → Buy → Choose Best Price → Enter quantity → Review summary → Confirm with PIN).
Watch for the match notification. See shares appear in the portfolio. Monitor price changes over days and weeks.
Observe mechanics
How long did matching take? How does portfolio value change? What happens when companies make announcements?
Resist constant checking
Successful investing is boring. Checking five times daily creates emotional volatility, leading to bad decisions. Review weekly.
Step 6: Monitor, Learn, Adjust
Track performance
Not obsessively, but regularly. How is the stock performing versus expectations? Is the company delivering on strategy?
Read about your holdings
When your company announces earnings, read the report. When they declare dividends, understand payout ratios. And when the stock drops 10%, investigate why.
Expand gradually
After a few months, consider adding a second company in a different sector. Over time, build 5-10 stocks across industries.
Keep learning
Markets evolve. Companies change. Read financial news weekly. Follow analysts. Join communities discussing Kenyan investing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do I need to start?
Technically, one share price—some NSE stocks trade around Ksh 32. Practically, Ksh 500-2,000 makes more sense for buying multiple shares and minimal diversification. Remember, the 1.5% commission makes extremely small trades cost-inefficient. Reasonable entry is Ksh 1,000-5,000 for the first purchase.
How do I make money on Ziidi Trader?
Two ways: capital gains (sell shares for more than you paid) and dividends (cash payments some companies distribute to shareholders annually from profits, sent directly to M-PESA). Many investors combine both: hold quality stocks for long-term appreciation while collecting dividends for passive income.
Can I lose all my money?
Yes, though a complete loss requires specific circumstances. If every company you invest in goes bankrupt and delists (extremely rare), shares become worthless. More realistically, you lose through poor decisions: buying overvalued stocks, panic selling during downturns, investing in deteriorating companies, or putting everything into one stock. Diversification significantly reduces total loss risk.
How long does it take to sell and get cash?
Selling requires matching with a buyer first. Once your sell order successfully matches, money hits M-PESA instantly—within seconds. Highly liquid stocks like Safaricom match within minutes during trading hours. Smaller companies might wait hours or days for a buyer. This liquidity difference is why advisors recommend only investing money you won’t need urgently.
What fees does Ziidi Trader charge?
Commission is 1.5% on buy and sell transactions. Purchase Ksh 10,000 worth of shares, pay Ksh 150 commission. Sell those shares for Ksh 12,000, pay Ksh 180 commission. Zero fees for moving money between M-PESA and Ziidi Trader—deposits free, withdrawals free. Significantly cheaper than traditional 2.1% broker commissions plus transaction fees.
Do I need a CDSC account?
No. Ziidi Trader uses an omnibus CDSC structure where Safaricom (through licensed broker Kestrel Capital) holds a master account with your allocation tracked within it. You legally own shares with full rights (dividends, voting), but administrative burden is eliminated. This enables instant opt-in. If you later want to transfer shares to a personal CDSC account or different broker, coordination with Safaricom support is required.
What happens to dividends?
When companies you own declare dividends, your proportional amount (based on shares held) is automatically credited to M-PESA. Example: own 50 shares, company declares Ksh 3/share dividend, you receive Ksh 150 to M-PESA. Dividends are subject to withholding tax (typically 5% for resident Kenyans), deducted before payment.
Can I trade 24/7?
NSE operates Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-3:00 PM. Trading (matching) only happens during these hours. However, you can place orders through Ziidi Trader anytime—evenings, weekends, holidays. Orders queue until the next trading session. Weekend orders fill when the market opens Monday, at prices that may differ from Friday’s close. All orders are “Good Till Day” and expire at 3:00 PM if unfilled.
Which stocks should I buy?
Safaricom and Ziidi Trader cannot provide investment advice—that decision is legally yours alone. Conventional wisdom suggests beginners start with large, established companies in understandable industries. These tend to be less volatile with more available information. Diversification across sectors (banking, telecommunications, manufacturing, consumer goods) reduces risk versus concentrating in one industry. Every purchase should follow your own research.
Is Ziidi Trader better than Ziidi MMF?
Different tools, different purposes. Ziidi MMF offers lower risk, lower returns, high liquidity—like enhanced savings with daily interest and easy withdrawals. Ziidi Trader offers higher potential returns, higher risk, and variable liquidity. Smart investors often use both: MMF for emergency funds and short-term savings (money needed within 1-3 years), Trader for long-term wealth building (5+ years). They complement rather than compete.
Conclusion
Ziidi Trader is M-PESA’s platform for accessing the NSE—removing brokers, paperwork, and minimum barriers that locked out millions of Kenyans for decades. It works through simple steps: browse companies, purchase shares with M-PESA, track performance, sell when ready. Settlement is real-time, withdrawals instant.
But it comes with real risks: market volatility, company failures, liquidity constraints, and the possibility of losing money through poor decisions or panic. The platform is safe and regulated. The investments are inherently risky. That paradox defines equity markets everywhere.
This isn’t about quick riches or overnight wealth. It’s about access. For the first time, everyday Kenyans can buy shares in the same companies, on the same platform, with the same information, paying fair commission rates. That’s democratization in action.
Whether you build Ksh 10,000 into Ksh 100,000 over a decade or lose Ksh 5,000 learning lessons depends on your discipline, education, patience, and yes—some luck. The tools are now in your hands. What you build is up to you.
Ready to explore? Open your M-PESA app, navigate to Financial Services, and find Ziidi Trader.
Statutory Disclaimer:
Investing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange carries risk. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Share prices may fluctuate, resulting in partial or complete capital loss; consider your financial objectives and risk tolerance before investing. Safaricom does not endorse the purchase or sale of any specific counter. Fees and charges apply.
