CBK
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CBK Warns Against Defacing Banknotes in Cash Gifts
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has warned Kenyans against the growing misuse of currency notes for decorative and celebratory purposes, saying the trend undermines the integrity of the Kenya Shilling and violates the law. In a public notice issued on February 2, 2026, the Bank said it noted a growing trend in the use…
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Understanding Kenya’s New Loan Pricing Model Rolled Out by CBK
Kenya’s lending environment is entering a new phase following the Central Bank of Kenya’s rollout of a revised loan pricing framework. The new system changes how banks calculate interest rates, how borrowers are assessed, and how the total cost of credit is disclosed. Yhe changes are technical, but their effects will be felt across households,…
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KRA Gives Fuel Stations December 31 Deadline to Comply with eTIMS or Face Penalties
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has issued a fresh reminder to all petroleum product retailers to fully implement the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS) for fuel stations ahead of the December 31, 2025 enforcement deadline. In a public notice dated November 25, 2025, the tax agency emphasized that all fuel outlets were required to…
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Absa Bank Announces Shift to New Risk-Based Loan Pricing Model
Absa Bank Kenya has announced plans to transition all its loan products to a new Central Bank–mandated Risk-Based Credit Pricing Model (RBCPM), beginning December 1, 2025. The move aligns the lender with guidelines issued by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) aimed at standardizing how banks price credit according to customer risk profiles. Under the…
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Paramount Bank Hits Regulatory Milestone as Capital Rises to Sh3.1bn
Paramount Bank has crossed the Central Bank of Kenya’s (CBK) minimum core capital requirement of Sh3 billion, achieving a major regulatory milestone more than a month before the December 2025 deadline. The lender disclosed that its core capital reached Sh3.118 billion as of September 2025, a significant boost driven by a successful rights issue that…
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Major Shift: KCB Moves to CBK’s Tough New Loan Model
Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) has announced it will implement the Central Bank of Kenya’s (CBK) newly issued Revised Risk-Based Credit Pricing Model (RBCPM), with the transition set to begin on December 1, 2025. The bank issued a public notice informing customers that all new local currency variable-rate loans taken from that date will be priced…
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CBK, CMA Announce Commencement of Virtual Assets Service Providers Act, 2025
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) have announced the official commencement of the Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASP) Act, 2025. The Act gazetted on October 21, 2025 came into effect on November 4, 2025, and establishes a legislative and supervisory framework for Virtual Asset Service Providers, including measures to…
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Men Dominate Mobile Money as Women Lag
Kenyan men continue to control most mobile money transactions, exposing a stubborn gender gap despite rising financial inclusion, according to the latest Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) report. In 2024, men accounted for 61 percent of all mobile money transactions across leading platforms including M-Pesa, Airtel Money and T-Kash, leaving women with just 39 percent…
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National Assembly Passes Bill to License All Crypto Firms
The National Assembly has passed the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, 2025, which will make all cryptocurrency service providers get a license before they can operate in the country. This new law aims to protect investors, stop fraud and make digital finance safer for everyone. According to the bill, only registered companies can offer services…
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CBK Cuts Lending Rate to 9.25% to Boost Cheaper Loans
The Central Bank of Kenya has lowered the Central Bank Rate (CBR) to 9.25 percent from 9.50 percent. The decision was made on Wednesday during a meeting by the Monetary Policy Committee. “The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to lower the Central Bank Rate (CBR) by 25 basis points to 9.25 percent from 9.50 percent,…
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CBK Seeks to Limit Mpesa, Airtel Money Transaction Charges
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) now wants to significantly reduce Mpesa and Airtel Money transaction fees. According to CBK’s latest National Financial Inclusion Strategy, the lender says the high transaction costs have led to reduced growth in mobile money usage. It also said that most Kenyans use Mpesa and Airtel Money mainly for person-to-person…
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Why Commercial Banks Wants CBK to Cut Base Rate
Banks now urge the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) to lower its base rate to make borrowing cheaper and help businesses get more loans. In recent months, lending to the private sector has been slow and many banks say this needs to change. Commercial banks believe that low inflation, a stable Kenyan shilling, and weak…
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Relief for Borrowers as CBK Approves More Digital Credit Providers
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) approved licenses for 27 more Digital Credit Providers (DCPs), bringing the total number of licensed lenders to 153. In a statement released on Thursday, CBK noted that this development follows the licensing of 41 DCPs in June 2025, just three months ago. The regulator revealed that since March 2022,…
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KBA Backs CBK Loan Pricing Reforms to Boost Credit Access
The Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) has welcomed the Central Bank of Kenya’s (CBK) revised loan pricing framework for variable-interest rates, saying the move will expand access to affordable credit for both individuals and businesses. The new formula, announced by CBK on August 26, introduces greater transparency by requiring banks to disclose all components of loan…
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New CBK Loan Pricing Model Could Change Borrowing Forever
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has announced the issuance of a revised Risk-Based Credit Pricing Model (RBCPM) for the banking sector, following a wide-ranging consultation process with industry players and stakeholders. The new model, which takes effect on September 1, 2025, for new variable rate loans, is aimed at strengthening monetary policy transmission, enhancing…
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Why Banks Might Lend More to Private Sector
After seven consecutive cuts on lending rate by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) from 13 percent in February 2024 to 9.5 percent in August, banks have seen their interest income shrink. Coupled with low private sector credit and high non-performing loans (NPLs), the banks are now struggling with CBK’s lending rates. The half-year results…
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CBK Unveils Customer Experience Survey on TCC Website
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) in partnership with Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) has launched a countrywide survey to gauge customer experience on the Total Cost of Credit (TCC) website, which was developed in June 2017. The survey aims to assess its usability, identify areas of improvement, and enhance its role in promoting financial literacy…
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CBK Revokes BAHL Licence Following its Exit from Kenyan Market
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has revoked the operating licence of Bank Al-Habib Ltd (BAHL) after the bank opted to exit the Kenyan market. In a statement released on June 30, 2025, CBK announced that the licence cancellation took effect on May 15, 2025. “The Central Bank of Kenya announces the cancellation of the…
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CBK Lowers CBR Citing Currency Stability, Slowed Economic Growth
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has lowered the Central Bank Rate (CBR) by 0.25 percentage points to 9.75 percent, citing sustained decline in inflation, a stable exchange rate, and a slowdown in economic growth both globally and locally. In a statement released following its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held today, the CBK said…
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CBK Raises Sh43.7B in T-Bills Auction, Beats Target by 82%
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) raised Sh43.69 billion in its latest Treasury bills auction, surpassing its Sh24 billion target by 82 percent, signaling strong investor appetite for government securities despite a slight uptick in interest rates. According to the auction results released by CBK for the 91, 182, and 364-day Treasury bills dated June…
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