Safaricom’s Ziidi Trader is expanding who can open an investment account, with the platform now accepting Kenyan passports, military identification cards and foreign passports, alongside the Kenyan national ID.
The change could significantly broaden access to Kenya’s capital markets, particularly for foreign nationals, expatriates, diplomats and members of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) who previously could not use the service under the standard identification requirements.
Ziidi Trader was launched by Safaricom in partnership with the Nairobi Securities Exchange in February 2026 to allow retail investors to buy and sell NSE-listed shares directly through M-PESA.
What Has Changed on Ziidi Trader?
When Ziidi Trader launched, the service was primarily designed around customers with a valid Kenyan national ID linked to an M-PESA account.
The updated identification options now include:
- Kenyan National ID
- Kenyan Passport
- Military ID
- Foreign Passport
This means eligible customers who do not use a Kenyan national ID as their primary identification document can potentially complete Ziidi Trader onboarding using another accepted document.
The addition of foreign passports is particularly notable because it could make the NSE more accessible to non-Kenyan residents and other foreign nationals with financial or investment interests in Kenya.
Foreign Passport Holders Can Now Access NSE Investing Through M-PESA
The acceptance of foreign passports is arguably the biggest development in the latest Ziidi Trader expansion.
Foreign nationals living or doing business in Kenya have historically faced more steps when accessing local financial and investment services.
By incorporating foreign passport identification into its digital onboarding process, Ziidi Trader could make it easier for eligible non-Kenyan customers to participate in the Kenyan equities market.
This potentially includes groups such as:
- Expatriates
- Foreign professionals working in Kenya
- Diplomats
- Foreign business owners
- Other eligible non-Kenyan investors
However, having an accepted identification document does not automatically mean every foreign passport holder is eligible to invest. Customers still have to satisfy the platform’s applicable onboarding, verification and regulatory requirements.
Military IDs Expand Access for KDF Members
The acceptance of military identification is another important change.
Members of the Kenya Defence Forces can now use their military IDs for Ziidi Trader registration, according to current reporting on the updated eligibility requirements.
This provides another route for KDF personnel who may not have their national identification document readily available during the account-opening process.
It also reflects a broader shift towards making digital financial services accessible to different categories of customers using appropriate identification documents.
How Ziidi Trader Works
Ziidi Trader is integrated into the M-PESA ecosystem, allowing users to access stock trading through their mobile phones.
At launch, Safaricom said the platform was designed to allow customers to buy and sell NSE-listed shares, monitor their portfolios and access market information through the M-PESA app.
The service was developed in partnership with the Nairobi Securities Exchange, with the platform operating under the oversight of the Capital Markets Authority.
This is significant because investors no longer necessarily need to follow the traditional route of visiting a stockbroker before they can begin participating in the market.
You Don’t Need to Visit a Stockbroker to Trade Through Ziidi Trader
One of the biggest selling points of Ziidi Trader is convenience.
The platform allows eligible users to access NSE share trading directly from their phones.
Business Daily reported that investors can access Ziidi Trader through the M-PESA application, where it appears as a mini application under the financial services section.
This removes some of the practical barriers that have historically discouraged small retail investors from participating in the stock market.
Instead of treating investing as something that requires a complicated process, Ziidi Trader places share trading alongside other financial services people already use on their phones.
Ziidi Trader Is Already Having a Major Impact on NSE Trading
The expansion comes as Ziidi Trader has already made a significant impact on retail participation at the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
Within its first months, the platform attracted hundreds of thousands of users.
Safaricom disclosures reported that about 511,000 investors had opted into Ziidi Trader, while approximately 84,000 accounts participated in share purchases during the first two months after launch.
The platform has also quickly become an important source of NSE share orders.
Business Daily reported that Ziidi Trader handled 62.04% of all NSE share purchase orders between February 5 and March 10, 2026, demonstrating how quickly mobile-based investing had gained traction.
That performance shows why expanding eligibility could be important for both Safaricom and the Kenyan capital markets.
Why This Matters for Kenya’s Stock Market
Kenya has long been looking for ways to increase retail participation in the capital markets.
The traditional stock-market experience can appear complicated to first-time investors, particularly younger people and individuals with relatively small amounts of money to invest.
M-PESA already has a massive presence in Kenya’s financial ecosystem.
By placing share trading within a familiar mobile platform, Safaricom and the NSE are effectively bringing investing closer to the everyday financial behaviour of millions of customers.
The acceptance of additional identification documents takes that strategy a step further by widening the potential pool of users.
What Foreign Investors Should Know
Foreign passport holders considering Ziidi Trader should not assume that the passport alone guarantees access.
The platform still needs to verify the customer’s identity and meet applicable Know Your Customer (KYC) and capital-markets requirements.
Potential investors should therefore provide accurate information during registration and use the official Ziidi Trader platform.
It is also important to understand that buying shares involves investment risk. A convenient digital platform does not eliminate the possibility of losing money when share prices fall.
How to Open a Ziidi Trader Account
Eligible customers can access Ziidi Trader through the official M-PESA ecosystem.
The general process involves:
- Open the official M-PESA app.
- Go to the Financial Services section.
- Select Ziidi Trader.
- Begin the account-opening process.
- Provide the required identification details.
- Complete the relevant verification process.
- Follow the instructions to activate the trading account.
- Fund the account and begin trading if approved.
The exact onboarding process may change as Safaricom updates the service.
Safaricom has also warned customers about fraudulent websites and links impersonating Ziidi Trader. Customers should therefore use the official M-PESA application and avoid entering personal information on suspicious websites or links.
Is Ziidi Trader Available to Everyone With a Foreign Passport?
Not necessarily.
The acceptance of foreign passports expands the identification options, but eligibility is still subject to verification and applicable regulatory requirements.
A foreign passport should therefore be viewed as an accepted identification document rather than an automatic guarantee of account approval.
Customers should follow the official onboarding instructions presented by Ziidi Trader.
What This Means for M-PESA
The development also highlights how far M-PESA has evolved beyond its original mobile-money role.
Since its launch in 2007, M-PESA has expanded into payments, savings, credit, investment and other financial services.
Ziidi Trader represents another stage in that evolution by connecting mobile money users directly to the capital markets.
Safaricom described the platform at launch as part of its broader effort to make investing simpler and more accessible through the M-PESA ecosystem.
Ziidi Trader Could Make NSE Investing More Inclusive
The acceptance of foreign passports and military IDs may appear to be a small change, but it could have a wider impact.
For foreign residents, the ability to use a passport can remove an identification barrier.
For KDF members, military ID provides another practical identification option.
For the broader market, every additional eligible investor represents another potential participant in Kenya’s capital markets.
The change also demonstrates how digital identity verification and mobile financial platforms can reduce some of the barriers associated with investing.
The Bigger Picture: From Sending Money to Building Wealth
The most interesting aspect of Ziidi Trader is not simply that users can buy shares through M-PESA.
It is the evolution of M-PESA from a platform primarily associated with sending and receiving money into a broader financial ecosystem.
Customers can increasingly use their phones to manage payments, savings, credit and investments.
Ziidi Trader adds direct access to listed equities to that ecosystem.
And with more identification options now accepted, Safaricom is potentially making that investment journey accessible to an even broader audience.
What Investors Should Remember
Before buying any NSE-listed share through Ziidi Trader, investors should:
- Research the company they intend to invest in.
- Understand that share prices can rise or fall.
- Avoid investing money they cannot afford to lose.
- Review applicable transaction costs.
- Keep their M-PESA and Ziidi credentials secure.
- Use only official Safaricom and Ziidi Trader channels.
- Avoid individuals promising guaranteed investment returns.
Investing in shares is not the same as keeping money in a savings account. Market movements can result in both gains and losses.
Final Thoughts
Ziidi Trader’s acceptance of foreign passports and military IDs is another step in Safaricom’s push to make investing more accessible through M-PESA.
The addition of Kenyan passports, military IDs and foreign passports alongside national IDs potentially opens the NSE to more categories of retail investors.
More importantly, the move comes at a time when Ziidi Trader is already demonstrating how powerful mobile technology can be in bringing retail investors into Kenya’s capital markets.
For foreign residents, KDF members and other eligible customers, the message is simple: access to NSE investing through M-PESA is becoming more inclusive.
But investors should still focus on the fundamentals. Easy access to the stock market is valuable, but successful investing ultimately depends on research, discipline, risk management and a long-term approach.
