Kenya to End 9-Year Ban on New Commercial Bank Licenses in July 2025
The Central Bank of Kenya announced the lifting of a nine-year moratorium on new commercial bank licenses, effective July 1, 2025. The moratorium was initially imposed to address systemic issues in the banking sector, including governance and operational inefficiencies.
Kenya’s Central Bank and Treasury approve Access Bank’s acquisition of struggling NBK
The Central Bank of Kenya and National Treasury approved Access Bank's acquisition of National Bank of Kenya. The acquisition is subject to approval from Nigerian authorities.
Kenya moves to regulate digital assets with new crypto bill
Kenya proposes the Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASP) Bill to regulate the cryptocurrency sector. The bill requires all virtual asset providers to be licensed by designated regulators.
Kenya proposes first crypto bill to regulate ICOs, stablecoins, exchanges
Kenya proposes its first regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies with the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill 2025. The bill introduces licensing rules for stablecoins, ICOs, digital wallets, crypto exchanges, and investment advisors.
Kenya’s Central Bank sets 18-month deadline for banks to disclose climate risks
The Central Bank of Kenya has given commercial banks 18 months to disclose the environmental impact of financed projects. CBK has introduced the Kenya Green Finance Taxonomy (KGFT) to classify what qualifies as 'green' under climate standards.
