The Egypt Financial Regulatory Authority published a readout of Chairperson Islam Azzam’s meeting with the Egyptian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association and market participants, in which he said the authority is prioritising private equity, venture capital and entrepreneurship as drivers of company financing and economic growth. The authority is seeking to deepen the role of the capital market as a funding and exit platform, and remains open to market proposals aimed at removing obstacles and updating regulatory and legislative frameworks. The meeting formed part of a wider series of engagements with non-bank financial market participants. Discussion covered the legal and regulatory framework from the perspective of service providers and legal and accounting advisers, the balance between maintaining the attractiveness of listing while encouraging more companies to offer and trade shares, development of a secondary market for debt instruments and access for individuals, execution mechanisms and the role of market makers in fixed income, and ways to expand securitisation. Association members presented proposals for legislative changes and incentives to increase Egyptian Exchange listings and trading and to make the market a more effective exit route for private equity, including after recent listings of special purpose acquisition companies. Azzam also pointed to stronger market activity in early 2026, including total trading of more than EGP 6 billion in the first quarter, April securities trading of about EGP 2,198 billion, market capitalisation of about EGP 3.7 trillion at end-April, and a 215% year-on-year rise in new investor codes in the first quarter, while calling for wider use of financial technology in investment activities.