According to data published by the Central Bank of Kenya, Equity Bank Kenya Ltd held the highest number of deposit accounts with balances exceeding KSh 500,000 among all Kenyan commercial banks as of December 2025. The bank recorded 141,259 such accounts, placing it ahead of KCB Bank Kenya Ltd, which had 130,915 accounts. This ranking is based on the Central Bank of Kenya's report on high-value accounts in the banking sector.
Together, Equity Bank and KCB Bank accounted for 272,174 accounts, representing approximately 44% of the combined total for the ten highest-ranked lenders. The two banks have consistently been among the top performers in Kenya's banking sector, with a large customer base and extensive branch network. Their dominance in high-value accounts reflects their strong presence in the market.
Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd ranked third with 94,016 accounts above the KSh 500,000 threshold, followed by Absa Kenya Plc in fourth place with 57,470 accounts. NCBA Bank Kenya Ltd came fifth with 45,417 accounts, despite holding one of the largest overall deposit account bases in the sector. This ranking highlights the competitive landscape of Kenya's banking industry.
I&M Bank Ltd ranked sixth with 41,808 accounts, while Diamond Trust Bank (K) Ltd was seventh with 40,434 accounts. Family Bank Ltd, Stanbic Bank Kenya Ltd, and National Bank of Kenya Ltd rounded out the top ten with 26,930, 24,354, and 17,538 accounts respectively. These banks have a significant presence in the Kenyan banking sector.
The ten banks collectively held 620,141 high-value accounts, which represent approximately 79.3% of the 781,977 such accounts recorded across the entire Kenyan banking sector in the same period. This concentration of high-value accounts among a few top banks underscores their significant role in Kenya's financial sector.
NCBA Bank's position is particularly notable given that the CBK report identifies it, alongside Equity and KCB, as one of the banks with the largest total number of deposit accounts in Kenya. However, its comparatively lower ranking on high-value accounts suggests that a greater share of its customer base holds balances below the KSh 500,000 mark.
It is essential to note that the CBK data tracks the number of accounts, not the number of individual depositors. A single person or company may operate multiple accounts across one or several banks, meaning the figures do not directly reflect the count of wealthy individuals or entities in the country. This distinction is crucial when interpreting the data.
Key points
- Equity Bank Kenya topped the Central Bank of Kenya rankings with 141,259 deposit accounts holding more than KSh 500,000 as of December 2025.
- The 10 banks collectively held 620,141 high-value accounts, representing about 79.3% of all such accounts across Kenya's banking sector.
- NCBA Bank Kenya Ltd came fifth with 45,417 high-value accounts despite having one of the largest overall deposit account bases.
