Nairobi -A Canadian fintech firm is looking to tap into one of Africa’s fastest-growing digital markets.
Valour Inc., a subsidiary of DeFi Technologies, has picked Nairobi-based GulfCap Investment Bank to guide its planned entry into the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). The move, if approved, would allow local investors to buy and sell Valour’s exchange-traded products (ETPs) in Kenyan shillings giving them regulated access to the world of digital assets.
The deal is still subject to the green light from Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority.
“Kenya is already one of Africa’s most active digital assets markets by adoption,” said Saud Shahbal, Founder and CEO of GulfCap Investment Bank. “This initiative places us right where fintech meets capital market reform.”
GulfCap will act as the lead transaction advisor. The bank is expected to handle regulatory approvals, investor engagement, due diligence, and the final listing process ensuring that the product meets both NSE and CMA requirements.
Regulated Path to Crypto Exposure
Valour, which already offers over 65 digital asset ETPs across European markets including Germany’s Xetra and Sweden’s Spotlight, is looking to broaden its reach to emerging economies. The products are fully hedged and track the performance of leading cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies.
Andrew Forson, President of DeFi Technologies and Chief Growth Officer at Valour, called the partnership with GulfCap a “natural fit.”
“GulfCap’s experience in cross-border transactions and its knowledge of local regulatory landscapes make it the ideal partner,” Forson said in a statement. “We are committed to building safe, transparent and lasting bridges between global investors and decentralised finance.”
The planned listing comes at a time when interest in crypto and digital assets is growing among young and tech-savvy Kenyans despite ongoing concerns about price volatility and lack of investor education.
Balancing Innovation with Oversight
While crypto remains a largely unregulated space in many African countries, Kenya has been exploring ways to bring digital finance under formal oversight. The Capital Markets Authority has previously warned investors about the risks of unregulated crypto assets, but it has also expressed interest in enabling innovation through regulatory sandboxes.
Valour’s entry, if approved, would mark one of the first steps in offering crypto exposure through a regulated public market in East Africa.
Still, challenges remain. Experts note that while exchange-traded products offer a more structured route to crypto investing, they don’t eliminate the underlying risks of price swings and technology disruption.
“Investor education and clear disclosures will be key,” said a senior analyst familiar with crypto policy in Nairobi, speaking anonymously due to regulatory sensitivities. “This is uncharted territory for most retail investors in Kenya.”
For now, both Valour and GulfCap are betting on the country’s appetite for innovation.
“It’s about making access easier and safer,” Shahbal added. “We’re not here to hype digital assets we’re here to help build credible and inclusive investment paths for the region.”
If the deal is approved in the coming months, it could reshape how Kenyans approach crypto not through informal apps and trading groups, but on the floors of a regulated exchange.
