As more Kenyans hold money digitally rather than in bank accounts, a new tool is emerging to help them do more with what they already have.
Ziidi, a mobile-based savings and investment platform by Safaricom, is looking to shift idle funds from mobile wallets into money market investments, starting with as little as Ksh 100.
The idea stems from a simple observation: a large number of M-PESA users keep unutilized balances in their mobile wallets. Unlike traditional banks, these balances earn no interest and often sit unused.
According to Aliya Khanbai, who leads the Wealth and Insurance Services team at Safaricom, this reality revealed a missed opportunity.
“It became clear that we needed to simplify access to investment tools,” she said.
“What exists today is largely designed for people already familiar with the financial system and that excludes many.”
For years, accessing a money market fund meant filling out forms, choosing a fund manager, and often meeting a high entry threshold.
Ziidi eliminates most of that friction.
Built into the M-PESA app, the platform offers a digital onboarding process that allows users to start investing in three steps, with minimal paperwork and no need for prior financial experience.
The product quietly went live in late 2024, ahead of its official unveiling in March 2025 during M-PESA’s 18th anniversary.
Chief Financial Services Officer at Safaricom, Esther Waititu, said the initiative is part of a broader financial inclusion effort.
By lowering the barrier to entry, Ziidi offers a new path for everyday mobile users to grow their savings while still maintaining liquidity.
Ziidi is among a growing wave of mobile-first financial products in Kenya aimed at unlocking the potential of small-scale, digital-native savers, many of whom have never invested before.
As economic pressures continue to push households to look for more efficient ways to manage money, products like Ziidi may help shift a portion of the population from passive savings to active investment, all without leaving their phones.
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