Story by Owen Mandovha
THE launch of the Zimbabwe Entrepreneurship Exchange (ZEEX) is expected to accelerate industrialisation by improving small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) access to capital.
The development emerged during the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZIM) Annual General Meeting in Harare on Wednesday, where the regulator reaffirmed its commitment to building capital markets that support economic growth.
SECZIM Chairperson Mr Dakshesh Patel said ZEEX represents a major milestone in expanding funding opportunities for SMEs through the formal capital market.
“The ZEEX is a critical platform that will change the capital-raising landscape for SMEs, who will be able to list for the first time in history. It is a fundamental step in the industrialisation journey of the country, and as a regulator, we take pride in licensing the bourse,” he said.
SECZIM Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr Tichaona Mushambadope said the regulator is modernising capital markets to attract more investment.
“The tokenisation of various trading instruments and assets is key to attracting capital,” he said.
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and Finance Chairperson Honourable Lincoln Dhliwayo welcomed the regulator’s efforts to strengthen Zimbabwe’s capital markets.
“SECZIM is now positioned to drive and create a robust capital market system, and we are very much impressed by the issues discussed at the AGM in safeguarding the security of our capital markets,” he said.
The regulator also noted that more companies listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) are expected to migrate to the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX) as efforts continue to position Victoria Falls as a special economic zone.
The launch of ZEEX is expected to improve SMEs’ access to funding while supporting Zimbabwe’s broader industrialisation and economic transformation agenda.
