DStv’s new owner lists on the JSE

Canal+ has completed its secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), making it the first French company to list on the bourse.

This comes after Canal+’s takeover of MultiChoice, completed in 2025, which made it the largest pay-TV and streaming business in Africa.

As part of its bid to buy MultiChoice, Canal+ committed to a secondary listing on the JSE to allow South African investors continued access to the pay-TV giant, which owns DStv.

On Wednesday, 3 June, the JSE welcomed Canal+ to its Main Board, with the company now trading under the share code ‘CNP’.

In a press statement, the JSE said Canal+’s listing marks a significant milestone in the exchange’s continued evolution as a globally competitive marketplace.

Aside from being the bourse’s first French company, Canal+ is also the only global media and entertainment company listed on the JSE.

“The secondary listing of Canal+ signals strong international confidence in South Africa’s capital markets and reinforces the JSE’s role as a conduit between global capital and African growth opportunities,” the bourse said.

Canal+’s primary listing is on the London Stock Exchange, where it was listed in December 2024.

The company operates in over 70 countries and has approximately 15,000 employees. In Europe, Canal+ boasts over 18 million subscribers across 12 countries.

In Africa, Canal+ has 23 million subscribers across more than 40 countries, aided by its acquisition of MultiChoice.

“Joining the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is a statement of our ambition and illustrates our belief in Africa’s future and its creative industry,” Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada said.

“Following our listing on the London Stock Exchange 18 months ago, this dual listing reinforces our ambition to be a bridge between Europe and Africa and anchors our dual-continental approach, consolidating our unique position in the global media and entertainment industry.”

Saada said Africa will be his firm’s “growth engine” for years to come.

“Canal+ has built one of the world’s leading media and entertainment businesses, with a significant and growing presence across Africa,” JSE CEO Valdene Reddy said. 

“Their listing on the JSE is an important milestone – not only for the company, but for the continued internationalisation of African capital markets.”

“It reflects the growing connectivity between African and global markets and reinforces the role of the JSE as a platform through which international companies and investors can participate in the continent’s long-term growth story.”

Following Canal+’s listing, the total number of companies on the JSE stands at 263, with a combined market capitalisation exceeding R25.2 trillion.