The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) announced Wednesday that it has licensed 29 additional Digital Credit Providers (DCPs), raising the total number of regulated digital lenders operating in the country to 281.

The new licences were issued under Section 59(2) of the Central Bank of Kenya Act, and follow an earlier round in July that added 25 providers, bringing the count to 252 before Wednesday's addition. Among the newly licensed lenders are Alba Capital, Anchorstone Capital, Boya Capital, Cars and Cargo Capital, CIM Credit Kenya, Coffers Credit, Credix Digital Credit Provider, Credora Digital, Demulla Investments, Diversity Micro Credit, Goalbridge Capital, Horpazi Credit, Investbox Holdings, Jukiwa Credit, Meridian Kapital DCP, Moneysta Capital Investment, Pocket Dealers, Remy Capital, Ridgeways Credit, Rooted Digital Credit Provider, Saidika Credit, Standthrive Solutions, Symos Credit, TGL Credit, Xpress Capital Solutions and Zaidavu Credit.

CBK said it has received more than 900 applications from businesses seeking digital credit provider licences since March 2022, when the regulatory framework for the sector first took effect. Digital credit providers typically deliver loans through electronic channels, including mobile applications and Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) platforms, offering products such as education loans, short-term personal loans, development loans, asset financing and business loans. By August 2026, CBK data shows, licensed providers had collectively issued 9,596,509 loans worth a combined Sh165.1 billion.

The regulator said the licensing drive is intended to ensure digital lenders comply with the law while strengthening protections for borrowers, following public concerns over the practices of previously unregulated lenders, including high borrowing costs, aggressive debt-collection tactics and misuse of customers' personal data. CBK has urged members of the public to report any digital credit providers operating without a licence through its dedicated email address, [dcps@centralbank.go.ke](dcps@centralbank.go.ke). Existing regulations governing licensed providers also prohibit harassment or public shaming of borrowers through their phone contact lists, and cap the recovery of a non-performing loan at the outstanding principal, contractual interest limited to the principal amount, plus reasonable recovery expenses.

Rapid growth in a young sector

Wednesday's addition continues a rapid expansion of Kenya's regulated digital lending market. The number of licensed DCPs rose from 85 at the end of 2024 to 195 by the end of 2025, before reaching 252 in July 2026 and now 281. CBK licensed 110 new providers during 2026 alone, including 41 in June, 27 in September and 42 in December of the prior cycle. A Small Claims Court ruling in July found that a lender operating without a CBK licence could not enforce lending claims in court, underscoring the legal weight now attached to formal registration in the sector.