DR Congo to Launch First Stock Exchange Amid Critical-Mineral Boom

The Democratic Republic of Congo will open its inaugural stock exchange next year, betting on surging demand for its copper, cobalt, and lithium to attract investors. The bourse will list in both Congolese francs and US dollars, reflecting an economy where over 95 percent of bank deposits are dollar-denominated, Finance Minister Doudou Fwamba Likunde Li-Botayi told Bloomberg.

DR Congo, Africa’s top copper producer and a key supplier of battery metals, aims to deepen capital markets with help from the International Finance Corp. Mining firms are the primary listing targets, though the government plans to broaden participation through tax incentives and a pipeline of IPOs.

The move follows recent exchange launches in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. With commodities prices rising and investors diversifying away from Asian tech giants, African equities – including those in Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, and Kenya – have posted strong gains, a tailwind Congo hopes to harness.

The IMF projects Congo’s metals exports will make it Africa’s fifth-largest economy this year.