Editor's Review
Kenyans increased their deposits in commercial banks in 2025, with customer deposits rising by 11.6 percent to Ksh6.12 trillion.
Kenyans increased their deposits in commercial banks in 2025, with customer deposits rising by 11.6 percent to Ksh6.12 trillion.
According to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), the increase represented growth from Ksh5.48 trillion recorded in December 2024.
CBK attributed the rise to deposit mobilisation initiatives undertaken by commercial banks during the year.
The growth in deposits formed part of an overall expansion of the banking sector, whose total net assets increased by 10.3 percent from Ksh7.57 trillion in December 2024 to Ksh8.35 trillion in December 2025.
CBK said the increase in net assets was supported by higher holdings of government securities, loans and advances, balances at the Central Bank and cash.
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Government securities increased by Ksh384.5 billion, loans and advances by Ksh240.5 billion, balances at the Central Bank by Ksh188.9 billion, while cash rose by Ksh3.7 billion.
The banking sector also maintained capital and liquidity levels above the regulatory thresholds during the period.
"The Kenyan banking sector registered improved financial strength in 2025, demonstrating stability and resilience. The sector’s total capital adequacy ratio stood at 20.7 percent in December 2025, above the minimum ratio of 14.5 percent.
"Similarly, the sector’s liquidity ratio remained above the statutory minimum level of 20 percent, averaging 59.3 percent," the report read in part.
The CBK's market share analysis showed that total deposits across commercial banks increased by 9.9 percent to Ksh6.3 trillion in December 2025, from Ksh5.8 trillion a year earlier.
Large banks continued to hold the biggest share of the market, although their combined weighted market share declined from 75.6 percent in December 2024 to 69.7 percent in December 2025. Their total deposits stood at Ksh4.403 trillion.
Medium-sized banks recorded an increase in their combined weighted market share from 16.7 percent to 23.2 percent over the same period. Their total deposits reached Ksh958 billion in December 2025.
Small banks had a combined weighted market share of 7.1 percent in December 2025, down from 7.7 percent in the previous year, with total deposits of Ksh449 billion.
The number of commercial banks remained at 39 during the period, while their combined total net assets rose to Ksh8.350 trillion.
At the same time, CBK reported changes in the number of deposit account holders.
The figure had increased steadily over the years, rising from 8.48 million in 2009 to 114.24 million in 2024, before declining to 80.68 million in 2025.
The decline affected the average number of deposit accounts handled by each bank employee, which fell from 2,941 accounts in 2024 to 1,962 accounts in 2025.
"The decline in efficiency is explained by the decline in the number of deposit account holders as compared to the increase in the number of staff. The number of deposit account holders declined by 29.4 percent.
"The decline was due to consolidation of a financial inclusion fund savings balances into a single custody-administered account, resulting in aggregated reporting of customer wallet balances. Additionally, there was an increase in the recruitment of new staff within the period," the report added.
The CBK data also showed the distribution of customer deposits among individual commercial banks.
KCB Bank Kenya recorded Ksh1.140 trillion in customer deposits in December 2025, up from Ksh971.961 billion in December 2024.
Equity Bank Kenya recorded Ksh705.877 billion, compared with Ksh643.219 billion a year earlier, while Co-operative Bank of Kenya had Ksh537.028 billion, up from Ksh478.184 billion.
NCBA Bank recorded Ksh467.218 billion in customer deposits, compared with Ksh449.488 billion in 2024. Stanbic Bank had Ksh384.180 billion, while Absa Bank recorded Ksh378.425 billion.
I&M Bank's customer deposits stood at Ksh348.661 billion, while Diamond Trust Bank recorded Ksh343.963 billion. Standard Chartered Bank had Ksh283.452 billion in customer deposits.
Among medium-sized banks, Prime Bank recorded Ksh171.211 billion in customer deposits, followed by Bank of Baroda Kenya with Ksh162.625 billion and Family Bank with Ksh152.437 billion.
Citibank Kenya recorded Ksh130.500 billion, National Bank of Kenya Ksh106.643 billion, and SBM Bank Kenya Ksh82.431 billion.
The CBK report placed total insured deposits in commercial banks at Ksh1.195 trillion in December 2025, compared with Ksh1.066 trillion in December 2024. Total customer deposits stood at Ksh6.119 trillion, up from Ksh5.481 trillion.
Microfinance banks also recorded growth in customer deposits, which increased to Ksh45.106 billion in December 2025 from Ksh42.837 billion in December 2024.
Their total insured deposits increased from Ksh12.663 billion to Ksh13.750 billion during the same period, according to the CBK report.
