The Egyptian Exchange recorded strong growth in the first quarter of 2026, with total trading value exceeding EGP 6 billion amid rising investor participation.

The Egyptian Exchange is seeing a sharp rise in both trading activity and investor participation. New figures shared by Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) point to growing market momentum during the first quarter of 2026 and April alone.

Why You Should Care

The latest figures reflect increasing activity across Egypt’s capital markets at a time when regulators are pushing to deepen the role of the stock exchange as a financing platform for companies and investment vehicles.

The growth in trading activity and new investor registrations also signals broader participation in the market, particularly among younger investors and individuals entering investment products for the first time.

Dr. Islam Azzam, Executive Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), in a meeting with members of the Egyptian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (EPEA), emphasized that the FRA is working to stimulate entrepreneurship and venture capital to support the growth of the national economy.

During the meeting, Dr. Azzam pointed to the notable growth achieved by the Egyptian Exchange ( EGX) during the first quarter of 2026, with total trading value rising to more than EGP 6 billion, marking a 41.2% increase compared to the first quarter of 2025.

Trading activity also accelerated during April 2026. The total value of securities trading, including listed and unlisted securities, reached around EGP 2.198 trillion, compared to approximately EGP 1.243 trillion during April 2025, reflecting a 76.9% increase.

Additionally, market capitalization reached around EGP 3.7 trillion by the end of April 2026. Investor participation also rose sharply. According to the FRA, the number of new investor codes increased by 215% during the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

During April alone, around 64,000 new investor codes were registered, compared to approximately 31,000 in April 2025, representing a 110% increase.

Dr Azzam also highlighted the increasing participation of younger investors in investment activities, particularly gold funds. He noted that more than 80% of certificate holders in gold funds are under the age of 40, reflecting growing interest in innovative investment tools and financial technology.

The Ripple

The increase in trading activity comes as Egypt continues efforts to strengthen non-banking financial markets and diversify financing channels beyond traditional banking.

Higher investor participation could also support liquidity across the market and encourage more companies to consider listings or capital market financing options.

At the same time, regulators are continuing to position the Egyptian Exchange as a more active platform for investment, fundraising, and private equity exits.

What to Watch

Attention will now shift toward whether the recent rise in trading activity and investor participation continues through the rest of 2026.

The FRA’s ongoing discussions with market participants around listings, debt markets, securitization, and investment regulations could also shape how capital market activity develops in the coming months, particularly as authorities continue working to expand participation across non-banking financial sectors.