Central Depository & Settlement
Central Depository & Settlement Corporation (CDSC) is Kenya's central securities depository, providing clearing, settlement, and safekeeping services for the Nairobi Securities Exchange under Capital Markets Authority oversight.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Central Depository & Settlement does
Central Depository & Settlement Corporation (CDSC) is Kenya's designated central securities depository, providing securities depository, clearing, and settlement services that underpin post-trade infrastructure for the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Nairobi, the company operates as a regulated market infrastructure entity under the oversight of the Capital Markets Authority, serving broker-dealers, custodians, institutional investors, and other licensed participants whose transactional activity on the NSE requires centralized settlement and safekeeping.
CDSC's core product is its CSD platform — the ledger and settlement engine that records beneficial ownership of dematerialized securities, processes settlement of NSE trades, and maintains investor accounts. The technical architecture is not disclosed in the source data, but the platform's role is functionally analogous to other national CSDs: it interfaces with NSE trading systems, maintains the central securities account register, and reconciles end-of-day settlement. The most significant recent development is the February 2026 launch of the Ziidi Trader platform, a partnership with Safaricom, NSE, KASIB, and the Capital Markets Authority that extends CDSC's settlement access directly to retail investors via M-PESA on mobile phones, integrating its infrastructure into Kenya's digital financial ecosystem.
The company's revenue model is not disclosed in the source data. As a CSD, it would typically monetize through transaction fees on settled trades, account maintenance fees, and corporate-action processing fees levied on participating broker-dealers and custodial institutions. With a headcount of 11–50 employees, CDSC operates as a lean monopoly infrastructure utility rather than a high-volume commercial business, and its customer base is, by the nature of a national CSD, concentrated in the small population of licensed NSE broker-dealers and custodian participants. No go-to-market motion, pricing schedule, or disclosed revenue figures are available in the provided material.
Central Depository & Settlement firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Central Depository & Settlement
- Legal name
- Central Depository & Settlement Corporation
- Website
- https://cdsckenya.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Central Depository & Settlement Corporation (CDSC) is Kenya's central securities depository, providing clearing, settlement, and safekeeping services for the Nairobi Securities Exchange under Capital Markets Authority oversight.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Central Depository & Settlement industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Securities Depository Services
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231)
- SIC
- Functions Related To Depository Banking, Nec (6099), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National CSDs & Domestic Settlement Systems (FSAFAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Central Securities Depositories (CSDs) & Settlement Systems (FSACAHAA), Central Securities Depository (CSD) & Securities Settlement Services (FSAAAOAD), Cash Settlement & DvP/PvP Settlement Agent Services (CSD-Integrated) (FSAFAGAK)
Keywords
Where Central Depository & Settlement is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nairobi
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Markets served
Central Depository & Settlement business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations
Central Depository & Settlement product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Central Depository & Settlement Corporation (CDSC) operates as the central securities depository for the Kenyan capital markets, providing depository, clearing, and settlement services that underpin trading on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). The company maintains custody of securities and processes post-trade transactions for market participants operating in Kenya's capital markets ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Securities Depository Services
Companies that use Central Depository & Settlement
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Central Depository & Settlement technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Central Depository & Settlement partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Safaricom PLCcoreCDSC partners with Safaricom on the Ziidi Trader platform, enabling Kenyans to trade shares directly on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) through M-PESA. The platform operates under Capital Markets Authority oversight and represents a significant expansion of M-PESA from a payments service into a comprehensive digital financial ecosystem.
- Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE)coreNSE collaborates with CDSC, KASIB, and Safaricom on the Ziidi Trader platform, enabling retail investors to access Kenya's capital markets through mobile phones via the M-PESA ecosystem.
- KASIBcoreKASIB partners with CDSC, NSE, and Safaricom on the Ziidi Trader platform, working under Capital Markets Authority oversight to democratize access to Kenya's capital markets.
- Capital Markets AuthoritycoreCapital Markets Authority provides regulatory oversight for the Ziidi Trader platform launched by Safaricom in partnership with NSE, KASIB, and CDSC, ensuring compliance and investor protection in Kenya's capital markets.
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Central Depository & Settlement competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Euroclear: Euroclear is one of the world's largest international CSDs, providing settlement and custody services comparable to CDSC's role at a vastly larger scale and geographic footprint.
- Clearstream: Clearstream operates as an international CSD serving European and global markets. It is comparable in function (settlement, custody, asset servicing) to CDSC, though at much greater scale.
- Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE): NSE is the exchange whose trades CDSC settles. It is comparable because the two are tightly coupled in Kenya's market structure, with NSE being a broader incumbent in the same capital markets ecosystem.
- DTCC (Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation): DTCC is the largest CSD/clearing infrastructure globally, operating similar depository and settlement functions for the US markets. It represents the scaled global benchmark for what a mature national CSD looks like.
Direct peers
- Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Nigeria: CSCS operates as the central securities depository for the Nigerian Stock Exchange, providing identical post-trade functions (clearing, settlement, custody) in another major African market. It is the most directly comparable African national CSD.
- Strate (South Africa): Strate is South Africa's central securities depository, handling electronic settlement for the JSE. It is comparable to CDSC as a national CSD in the same African region, with a more mature product set.
- Central Depository and Settlement Corporation of Mauritius (CDS): CDS Mauritius operates the CSD and clearing infrastructure for the Stock Exchange of Mauritius, comparable in role and scope to CDSC Kenya.
- Ghana Depository Company (GDC): GDC operates the central securities depository for the Ghana Stock Exchange, providing settlement, custody, and registry services. It is a comparable national CSD in another West African market.
- Custody and Securities Depository of Zimbabwe (CSDZ): CSDZ provides central depository and settlement services for the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, making it a direct peer in a similarly sized African emerging market.
Regional players
- JSE Clear (South Africa): JSE Clear provides clearing and settlement for derivatives on the JSE in South Africa. It is comparable as a regional clearing infrastructure peer in the African market, though serving a different (derivatives) segment than CDSC.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Central Depository & Settlement social profiles
Digital presenceCentral Depository & Settlement financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Central Depository & Settlement leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Central Depository & Settlement funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Central Depository & Settlement M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Central Depository & Settlement
What does Central Depository & Settlement do?
Central Depository & Settlement Corporation (CDSC) operates as the central securities depository for the Kenyan capital markets, providing depository, clearing, and settlement services that underpin trading on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). The company maintains custody of securities and processes post-trade transactions for market participants operating in Kenya's capital markets ecosystem.
When was Central Depository & Settlement founded?
Central Depository & Settlement was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Central Depository & Settlement based?
Central Depository & Settlement is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, in the Africa region.
Who are Central Depository & Settlement's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Euroclear, Clearstream, Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) and DTCC (Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation). Direct peers are Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Nigeria, Strate (South Africa), Central Depository and Settlement Corporation of Mauritius (CDS), Ghana Depository Company (GDC) and Custody and Securities Depository of Zimbabwe (CSDZ). JSE Clear (South Africa) is listed as a regional player.
Does Central Depository & Settlement have an API?
No public API is recorded for Central Depository & Settlement.
What industry is Central Depository & Settlement in?
Central Depository & Settlement's product category is Securities Depository Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAFAGAA, National CSDs & Domestic Settlement Systems, with a secondary code of FSACAHAA, Central Securities Depositories (CSDs) & Settlement Systems. Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 6099.