Nairobi, Sept. 7 -- The number of investors in unit trusts has risen to 4.15 million from 2.45 million a year ago as more Kenyans opt for passive high-return income instead of investing in startups in an economy that has oscillated between soft and strong growth.

The large influx of new investors has seen the value of assets under management in the collective investment schemes (CIS) approach Sh1 trillion, having grown by 59 percent from Sh596.3 billion in June 2025 to Sh948.7 billion in June 2026.

The number of investors in the funds is now three times those investing in the equities market at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), which has remained relatively flat at between 1.25 million and 1.28 million investors over the last three...