Nairobi, Jan. 3 -- At least 605 digital lenders are awaiting Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) clearance as the New Year begins, signalling sustained investor interest in the fast-growing digital credit market despite tighter regulatory scrutiny.

The regulator announced last Tuesday the licensing of 42 additional Digital Credit Providers (DCPs) in the latest round of approvals, which continues to trail the volume of applications.

Digital lenders offer short-term loans at annualised rates that are significantly higher than those charged by commercial banks, using credit reference bureau checks to assess and manage default risk.

Tuesday's approvals-the final batch for 2025-followed the licensing of 27 firms in September and 41 in June, undersc...