ESX Hopes Partnership with FSD Accelerates Market Development


ESX Hopes Partnership with FSD Accelerates Market Development

The Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX) has entered into a deal with FSD Africa and FSD Ethiopia to improve the capital market. The partnership was announced in a joint statement released last week. The organisations plan to team up to provide technical expertise, financial resources, and strategic guidance. They have stated that their goals are to support issuers, improve investor education, develop new products, and strengthen the ESX's institutional capacity. According to the statement, ESX plans to allocate financial resources for market development and lead project management, including overseeing implementation and ensuring the quality of market activities. Leaders of FSD Ethiopia and FSD Africa have pledged to fund and provide technical advisory support for companies that would be listed under the Exchange. The federal regulatory agency tasked with issuing licenses for listed companies, the Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA), established in June 2021, foresees more than 50 companies being listed in the next five years.


Radar

Amendment Expands Access for Foreign Traders

Foreign participation in Ethiopia's wholesale, retail, import, and export trade sectors has come under renewed focus as the Ethiopian Investment Board(EIB) approved a significant amendment to Directive No. 1001/2016  in its meeting on May 23, 2025. The amendment, proposed by the Ethiopian Investment Commission(EIC), focuses on refining the legal framework governing foreign investment in these sectors. The decision is part of a broader strategy to enhance the country's appeal as an investment...


Radar

NBE Sets Four Percent Ceiling on Foreign Exchange Fees

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) issued a new foreign exchange market directive on May 20, 2025, that caps commercial banks' forex service fees at a maximum of four percent. Banks are instructed to adapt competitive, transparent, and streamlined pricing for all forex-related services. Effective May 26, 2025, total charges for purchasing foreign exchange whether for imports, service payments, or cash note purchases must not exceed the newly set limit. The directive also prohibits banks f...


Radar

SantimPay Launches Zero-fee Digital Remittance Platform

SantimPay has rolled out FrankRemit, first fully integrated, zero-fee digital remittance platform, in partnership with Bank of Abyssinia(BOA). The service smoothly connects all commercial banks and major mobile money providers, including Telebirr, M-Pesa, and CBE Birr which is a first of its kind in the country. FrankRemit is expected to revolutionise how the Ethiopian diaspora sends money home. Developed locally and tested over the past two weeks with successful transfers from multiple count...