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News - Financial

Ethiopia: CBE Capital Passes Br1bn Treasury Bill Trading Milestone

May 15, 2026
Ethiopia: CBE Capital Passes Br1bn Treasury Bill Trading Milestone


• Br1 billion in Treasury Bill transactions was recorded by CBE Capital.
• CBE Capital became Ethiopia’s first investment bank to pass the milestone.
• NBE, ECMA and ESX authorised the firm to trade Treasury Bills.
• Investor appetite for government securities is increasing under financial sector reforms.
• Treasury Bills support Ethiopia’s shift toward market-oriented government borrowing.
• Domestic debt market participation is expanding among banks, institutions and private investors.
• The milestone signals momentum in Ethiopia’s emerging capital markets ecosystem.

Market Impact:
CBE Capital’s billion-birr Treasury Bill transaction volume marks an early execution milestone for Ethiopia’s investment banking industry. It shows that capital market reform is beginning to translate into actual domestic debt market activity.

The development also reflects Ethiopia’s policy shift away from direct central bank financing toward more market-based government borrowing. For banks, institutional investors and private participants, Treasury Bills are becoming a more formal channel for birr-denominated investment and liquidity management.

The milestone comes as the Ethiopian Securities Exchange and related reforms seek to mobilise domestic savings, widen access to finance and attract private investment. CBE Capital’s position as the first investment bank to cross the threshold gives it early visibility in Ethiopia’s developing securities market.

Key Numbers:

  • Br1 billion — Treasury Bill transactions — first scale milestone for CBE Capital

  • 1st — Ethiopian investment bank to cross the threshold — early market leadership

  • 3 institutions — NBE, ECMA and ESX — regulatory authorisation base

  • 2026 — Ethiopian Securities Exchange launch year — capital market reform backdrop

Business Signal:
CBE Capital’s Br1 billion Treasury Bill milestone signals rising demand for government securities as Ethiopia’s capital market reforms move from licensing to transaction activity.