Kenya is rapidly evolving from a primarily agrarian and services economy into one of Africa’s most dynamic digital and financial hubs. Over the last couple of years, and accelerating into 2026, global trading platforms have been expanding their footprint there. Here, forex, digital assets, capital markets and broader trade ecosystems have found a market that once was not.
The expansion is driven by a combination of regulatory progress and technology adoption. The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has stepped up licensing of international brokers, while Kenya’s world-leading mobile money ecosystem has lowered barriers to entry for retail traders.
Because of this, participation in online trading has surged. This is especially true for the younger, digital-savvy investors who access global markets through their smartphones. Right now, trading with platforms like Exness Kenya has become a common occurrence throughout the country. And recent developments suggest that this momentum is accelerating even more.
Capital Markets Authority licensing making it possible
The Capital Market Authority has been proactive in licensing both local and international trading platforms. The CMA has been creating a legal foundation for global firms to operate transparently in the country.
For example, in January 2026, the CMA granted licences to a popular international fintech trading platform, enabling it to operate as a regulated online forex broker in Kenya. The trading platform can now act as a compliant counterparty and provide onboarding, execution and customer support according to the regulation by the CMA. Additionally, the international broker appointed Samwel Kiraka as CEO, Kenya, to lead its operations in the country.
As of 2026, the CMA has given at least 14 licenses to online trading brokerage firms. Before the Capital Markets (Online Foreign Exchange Trading) regulations in 2017, the forex market in Kenya was like the Wild West. You would hear stories of people becoming millionaires overnight, clashing with those of traders losing all their life savings to scammers who then disappeared into digital darkness. However, regulations have given Kenyan traders more confidence, even with international brokerage firms.
The regulatory clarity has opened new participation from traders all over the country. Industry data reveals that since regulations started taking action, trading volumes in the regulated market have gone up by more than 80%. And so far, the number of active retail online traders has already surpassed 100,000, making Kenya among the largest forex markets in Africa.
Mobile fintech integration lowering barriers to trading
One of Kenya’s competitive advantages is its mobile payments ecosystem. Headlined by Safaricom’s M-Pesa, the telecom provider has over 37 million monthly active users and recorded over $157 billion in transactions within six months leading to September 2025.
Global trading platforms have been strategically integrating with these systems in a bid to reach Kenyan consumers directly. In fact, Safaricom has its own initiative (Ziidi Trader), which enables stock trading directly via M-Pesa. This bridges telecom, fintech and capital markets and emphasises how global‑style trading services (traditionally only via brokers) can reach mass audiences.
Just in January 2026, the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) said that it was betting on mobile money platforms to attract more retail investors. The NSE said that it was expecting the leading telecom companies to start rolling out trading services on mobile money apps in order to widen access to capital markets.
In an interview with Semafor, Andrew Barden, chief executive of Wall Street Africa Group, stated that latching onto mobile money services like M-Pesa would help reduce the time it took to onboard new investors by leveraging their already existing details.
In the same way, international brokers operating on Kenyan soil now accept M-Pesa and other mobile wallets like Airtel Money and T-Kash for deposits. This has dramatically lowered friction for retail traders compared to the past reliance on costly international wire transfers. That rise in accessibility has helped retail participation grow alongside the expansion of global platforms.
Education and market infrastructure are catching up
Global platforms have also been investing in education and local ecosystems. As global trading platforms scale up their operations, education and market infrastructure are increasingly being worked on. You see, industry estimates indicate that over 60% of new retail traders in Kenya are under the age of 35. However, a good portion of these traders come in with limited prior exposure to formal investing. Therefore, licensed platforms are being pushed to invest more heavily in structured learning tools.
For example, events like the Africa Forex Trading Expo 2026 have been put up to demystify trading and provide necessary skills. According to Azelia Expo Ltd, the forex trading expo is aimed at bringing together forex traders, fintech innovators, brokers, Payment Service Providers (PSPs), crypto exchanges and financial educators from all over the world. Azelia stated that the two-day expo was coming at a critical time when Kenya’s forex trading market is growing at an unprecedented rate.
Additionally, different global trading platforms run financial literacy initiatives and local training. These reinforce knowledge alongside platform access. These efforts help build market sophistication, which is beneficial to both traders and trading platforms.
The rapid growth of online trading in Kenya reflects a deep shift in the country’s financial and digital economy. What began as rising retail interest has moved and now is a structured market shaped by licensing, mobile integration and increasing institutional attention. As more international brokers continue to set up locally, Kenya is moving from the hidden parts of global trading to a recognised regional hub.
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