The Victoria Falls International Financial Centre (VFIFC) has licensed 38 new institutions, strengthening Zimbabwe’s drive to establish Victoria Falls as a leading financial hub on the continent.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said the latest licensing round marked a shift from establishing the VFIFC as a policy concept to building a functioning financial ecosystem.
Speaking, yesterday, at the welcome ceremony for the new entrants in Victoria Falls, Prof Ncube said the second licensing cohort was “confirmation, not repetition” of the Centre’s inaugural launch in June.
“Today’s ceremony is not a repetition of the first, it is its confirmation, and that distinction matters,” he said.
“Significant progress had been recorded since the first licensing round, with the legal and regulatory framework governing banking, capital markets, insurance, fintech, arbitration and company operations now in force.”
The framework was gazetted through Statutory Instruments 62 and 63 of 2026, while supervisory teams have been fully staffed to oversee the growing financial ecosystem.
Prof Ncube said the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX), now operating as a fully licensed VFIFC entity.
“The Victoria Falls Stock Exchange is now operating as a fully licensed VFIFC entity and had also registered measurable growth, with market capitalisation exceeding US$8 billion,” he said.
He said landmark listings in infrastructure and manufacturing had attracted both domestic and international investor interest.
Prof Ncube said investor confidence remained critical to the success of the financial centre, arguing that international capital was attracted not by incentives alone, but by predictable regulations, impartial dispute resolution and the ability to repatriate capital.
“The VFIFC’s separate legal and regulatory framework, combined with its location within the Victoria Falls Special Economic Zone, was designed to provide greater certainty for international investors,” he said.
Government would continue promoting the Centre through bilateral and multilateral engagements and investment missions under the National Development Strategy 2, Prof Ncube said.
The latest licences cover securities dealers, asset managers, investment advisers, collective investment schemes and custodial services.
Securities dealer licences were awarded to Bethel Equities, EFE Securities, InvestiQ, Oak Wealth, Invictus Securities, Platinum Securities and Southern Trust, among others.
Asset management licences went to Dendere, Equivest, Imara, Platinum Investment Managers, Redwood, TN Asset Management, Wealth Access and Zimnat.
Advisory licences were issued to CBZ Holdings, Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe Advisory, NMB Bank Advisory, Morgan & Company and Zimre Capital.
The Old Mutual International Gold ETF, Eagle Mortgages Pass-Through Fund and Eagle REIT were also licensed, while CBZ Custodial and Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe received custodial licences.
Zambezi Digital Exchange, Zimgarn Exploration and Paysphere Financial Services were among other new entrants welcomed into the VFIFC.
