Central Depository & Settlement

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.

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

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

• Securities depository services
• Clearing and settlement
• Capital markets infrastructure
• Post-trade processing
• Securities custody services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Core 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

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Safaricom PLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026CDSC 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)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026NSE 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.
• KASIBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026KASIB 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 AuthoritycoreOthers · 10 February 2026Capital 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

Broad 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

• Xx.com/cdsckenya
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-depository-settlement-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Central Depository & Settlement