The unit trust and CIS segment has become one of the fastest-growing corners of Kenya’s financial system, with assets under management climbing to about KSh 596 billion by Q2 2025, from roughly KSh 496 billion in Q1 and less than half that level just a few years ago. CMA data and independent research indicate investor accounts have surged to around 2.5 million by mid-2025, up from about 1.4 million in December 2024, confirming unit trusts as the default entry point for first-time savers.Â
Fund managers have ridden a wave of digital onboarding, aggressive marketing and the search for yield as bank deposits and traditional savings products lag inflation. Heading into the new year, the key question is whether providers can match this explosive growth with robust governance, back-office capacity and investor education so that the boom does not outpace systems and trust.
