Kenya Capital Markets Authority has granted two additional coffee broker licenses and approved Stanbic Bank Kenya Limited as a Direct Settlement System provider for the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, expanding the regulated infrastructure for coffee auction trading. The move adds a second bank to the settlement system and brings in two new brokers to serve farmers, cooperative societies and other market participants. Stanbic Bank joins Cooperative Bank, which had been the sole Direct Settlement System provider since August 2023. The system clears and settles coffee auction proceeds, channeling buyer funds to service providers and ultimately to coffee growers. The new broker licenses were issued to Ahadi Coffee Limited and Cafforra Coffee Company Limited. Ahadi plans to offer brokerage services at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, while Cafforra will sell coffee on behalf of farmers and cooperatives in Kisumu County and neighboring Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties, alongside advisory services. The authority said the approvals are intended to strengthen oversight of the regulated coffee trading market and support price discovery, transparency and timely settlement.