Online trading platform Capital.com has taken a further step in its global expansion after securing regulatory approval to operate in Kenya, one of east Africa’s most active financial hubs.
The fintech group said it had been granted a licence by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) of Kenya to operate as a Dealing Online Foreign Exchange Broker, allowing it to offer regulated forex and trading services to local clients.
The licence, issued under number 244, permits Capital.com to act as a compliant counterparty in Kenya, providing client onboarding, trade execution and customer support in line with CMA requirements. For the company, the approval underscores a strategy that prioritises entry into new markets through established regulatory frameworks rather than rapid, lightly supervised growth.
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Kenya has emerged as a focal point for fintech development in Africa, combining high levels of mobile penetration with a deepening capital markets ecosystem. Capital.com’s arrival adds to a growing list of international financial services groups seeking to tap into the country’s retail trading demand, while aligning with regulators keen to formalise online forex activity.
Samwel Kiraka to lead Kenya operation
To anchor its Kenyan operations, Capital.com has appointed Samwel Kiraka as chief executive for the country. Kiraka brings experience in running financial services businesses under regulatory oversight and will be responsible for building local operations, including governance, compliance and client-facing functions. His mandate is to ensure that the platform meets supervisory expectations from the outset.
Valentina Rzheutskaya, an executive director at Capital.com, said operating under local supervision was “a fundamental requirement” for offering financial services responsibly. “The CMA licence provides a clear framework for how we operate in Kenya, including how we communicate risk, support clients and maintain appropriate controls,” she said.
The group’s focus, she added, is on providing market access within an environment that promotes transparency and informed decision-making.
Under the new licence, Capital.com will operate with local governance and compliance structures, alongside dedicated client support. The company will be subject to ongoing reporting obligations and supervisory standards set by the CMA, placing it squarely within Kenya’s regulatory perimeter.
For Kiraka, the emphasis is on execution. “Capital.com’s priority in Kenya is to operate within the framework set by the Capital Markets Authority and to build local operations that meet regulatory and operational expectations from day one,” he said.
The Kenyan approval broadens Capital.com’s regulatory footprint, which already spans several major financial centres. As competition intensifies among online trading platforms, regulatory credibility is increasingly a differentiator.
By opting for a supervised entry into Kenya, Capital.com is signalling that its African ambitions will be shaped less by speed and more by compliance. In a market where trust remains paramount, that measured approach may prove a competitive advantage.
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