Mansa-X Special Funds, a diversified suite of collective investment products managed under the Standard Investment Trust Funds (SITF) platform, has surpassed USD 1 billion (approximately Sh129 billion) in assets under management (AUM), marking a major milestone in Kenya’s asset management industry.
The achievement reflects strong fund performance in 2025 as well as rising investor demand for professionally managed and diversified investment solutions amid evolving market conditions. Fund managers say the milestone positions Mansa-X among Kenya’s largest special Collective Investment Schemes (CIS), with growing appeal across both conventional and Shariah-compliant investment portfolios structured in Kenya shillings and U.S. dollars.
In the 2025 calendar year, the funds delivered robust net returns that supported sustained inflows and asset growth. The shilling-denominated Mansa-X Special Fund recorded an average net return of 20.74 percent, while the U.S. dollar-denominated fund posted 13.37 percent. The Shariah-compliant variants also performed strongly, delivering returns of 17.25 percent in Kenya shillings and 11.64 percent in U.S. dollars, representing the highest performance since the funds’ inception.
Surpassing the USD 1 billion AUM threshold is widely viewed as a strong vote of confidence in the asset management industry’s ability to generate risk-adjusted returns during a period marked by interest rate adjustments, currency pressures and global market volatility. Analysts note that investors are increasingly shifting away from traditional savings products toward collective investment vehicles that offer professional management, liquidity and diversified exposure to local and global assets.
This momentum mirrors the broader growth of Kenya’s CIS market, which has expanded steadily in recent years. Data from the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) indicates that total industry CIS assets have surpassed Sh500 billion and continue to grow as new funds enter the market and existing ones scale up.
The popularity of the Mansa-X platform has been driven by its diversified investment approach, which combines exposure to multiple asset classes, currencies and strategies under a single structure. The availability of both conventional and Shariah-compliant options caters to investors with varying risk profiles and ethical considerations, while dollar-denominated funds provide a hedge against exchange-rate volatility.
Standard Investment Bank executives, including Nahashon Mungai, Executive Director for Global Markets, have described the milestone as a reflection of strong investor confidence in the firm’s long-term strategy, governance framework and disciplined portfolio management.
The continued growth of the Mansa-X Special Funds also highlights the deepening of Kenya’s capital markets, where collective investment schemes are increasingly playing a central role in savings mobilisation, financial inclusion and domestic capital formation. As investor awareness rises and access improves through digital platforms and enhanced regulatory oversight, well-managed funds such as the Mansa-X suite are emerging as core investment solutions for both local and international investors.