CRDB dominates year-end DSE trading, commands 96pc of market turnover

Josephine Christopher is a senior business journalist for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers

Mwananchi Communications Limitted

Dar es Salaam. CRDB Bank closed 2025 as the most dominant counter on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE), accounting for an overwhelming 96.2 per cent of total market turnover in the final three trading sessions of the year.

Data from the exchange show that between December 29 and December 31, the DSE recorded cumulative turnover of about Sh26.68 billion, with CRDB alone contributing approximately Sh25.67 billion, underscoring the lender’s growing appeal among both institutional and retail investors.

Market analysts say the concentration of trading activity around the bank reflects year-end portfolio rebalancing and strong demand for highly liquid stocks.

On Monday, December 29, CRDB posted turnover of Sh441.16 million after 299,024 shares were traded at a weighted average price of Sh1,480 per share.

The day’s total market turnover stood at Sh737.14 million, meaning the lender accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the value traded.

Activity in the bonds segment remained subdued, with government securities carrying a face value of Sh210 million changing hands.

Trading volumes rose sharply on Tuesday, December 30, as CRDB recorded turnover of Sh10.29 billion. The performance was driven by the trading of 6.1 million shares through the pre-arranged market board and a further 842,977 shares at the counter, at a weighted average price of Sh1,510 per share.

Total market turnover for the day reached Sh10.68 billion, placing CRDB’s market share at about 96.4 per cent. On the fixed-income segment, government bonds with a face value of Sh4.95 billion were traded.

The dominance intensified on the final trading day of 2025, Wednesday, December 31, when CRDB posted turnover of Sh14.94 billion after 17 million shares were traded on the pre-arranged board and 605,062 shares at the counter, at a weighted average price of Sh1,530 per share.

With the DSE recording total turnover of Sh15.26 billion, the lender alone accounted for nearly 97.9 per cent of the day’s trading.

The bond market also recorded strong activity, with government bonds worth Sh6.9 billion and corporate bonds with a face value of Sh200 million exchanged.

In a recent interview with The Citizen, CRDB Group chief executive officer Mr Abdulmajid Nsekela said the bank is positioning itself to sustain its market leadership through a sharper focus on customer needs, digital transformation and strong governance.

“CRDB is well positioned to lead with client-centric solutions, continued investment in digital capabilities and robust governance.

We remain committed to enabling Tanzania’s growth through responsible lending, secure payments ecosystems and inclusive financial services as we close 2025 and look ahead to 2026,” he said.

The strong trading performance comes as the bank continues to deepen its digital footprint, expand its payments infrastructure and roll out tailored products for small and medium-sized enterprises and retail customers.