Etica Money Market Fund Kenya Explained In 2024.

There is a new kid in the Kenya Money Market Fund block, and her name is Etica. The Etica Money Market Fund Kenya is currently the country’s hottest collective investment scheme (CIS) fund, upsetting traditional giants like Cytonn, Madison, and Jubilee. 

As of September 20th, 2023, Etica recorded an Effective Annual Yield Rate of 12.58%, and on February 9, 2024, Etica recorded an Effective Annual Yield Rate of 17.2%, which is the highest by a Money Market Fund in Kenya this year, and that shows the new babe is ready to wrestle with the mighty elephants and give them a good run for their money. 

Well, that is if the recent performance, which I’ll share with you, is anything to go by.

Overall, since Etica is pretty new, and some may argue they are still learning the ropes, there’s something admirable about their whole marketing strategy. Perhaps it’s because the Money Market Fund focuses on retail clients who can’t afford huge investments.

Such clients won’t have an issue depositing a minimum of Ksh 100 to sign up and an equal top-up, especially when the yield rate averages 17%. 

Perhaps it has something to do with a youthful, vibrant management team. Only time can tell, but for now, nothing is taking the shine away from Etica, and you’ve to name them among the best Money Market Funds in Kenya, albeit based on the yield rate. 

Since there’s so much to know about Etica, here’s what I’ll cover about the fund:

• What is the Etica Money Market Fund?
• How does the Etica Money Market Fund work?
• What has been its performance?
• Should you invest in Etica Money Market Fund Kenya?
• How do you join the Etica Money Market Fund?
• How do you withdraw funds from Etica?

Here we go!

In a rush? Below is an updated Etica Money Market Fund fact sheet:

Etica Money Market Fund Fact Sheet

Launch	2021
Money Manager	Etica Capital Ltd
Trustee	Co-operative Bank Kenya Ltd
Custodian	Equity Bank Kenya Ltd
Minimum Investment	Ksh 100
Minimum Top-Up	Ksh 100
Effective Annual Yield	17.2% (As at February 9, 2024)
Fund Withdrawal Period	Two business days
Lock-In Period	None
Risk Profile	Low
Interest Compounding	Daily
Target Clients	Retail
Profit For June 2023	Ksh 144,587
Total Assets As Of June 2023	Ksh 13,752,131

What’s the Etica Money Market Fund?

Etica Money Market Fund is a collective investment scheme (CIS) product by Etica Capital Limited that invests in a variety of investment instruments such as:

• Cash and cash equivalents 
• Treasury bonds 
• Bank deposits 
• Trade receivables

Etica was only launched in 2021, making it a new entrant into the country’s Money Market Fund sphere. The fund has its head offices at Consolata Shrine in Westlands, and its management team is currently headed by Maurice Oduor (the CEO).

How Does the Etica Money Market Fund Work?

The Etica Money Market Fund works like every other similar fund in the country. First, Etica Capital, the money manager, manages the market fund. 

The work of the money manager, also known as the fund manager, is to develop the investment portfolio on behalf of the unit holder and advise the unit holders or investors on what to invest in. 

The fund manager, however, does not hold the funds that the investors pool. That’s the custodian’s job, which is Equity Bank Kenya Ltd. 

Another key player in the ecosystem is the trustee, whose job is to oversee the fund manager’s operations to ensure they follow CMA’s laid-out guidelines. 

As a unit holder or member, Etica expects you to join with a minimum investment of Ksh 100 and make a minimum top-up of the same amount. Etica has no lock-in periods, and the interest earned from investments is compounded daily. 

Moreover, Etica allows you to make an email withdrawal request and have your money within two business days. 

Etica Money Market Performance in Recent Times 

As mentioned, the Etica Money Market Fund only launched in 2021, so there isn’t much history about the fund’s performance. What’s clear, however, is that the fund has been performing well in recent months. 

Let’s take an example of its financials for the half of 2023:

Etica closed the half of 2023 with a profit of Ksh 144,587. That’s after earning an interest income of Ksh 209,854 and incurring a total expense of Ksh 65,267. 

If you calculate the difference, then it’ll amount to Ksh 144,589 for the Money Market Fund. In terms of Assets, Etica folded half of 2023 with a total of Ksh 13,752,131 assets under its management.

Mark you, we are only talking about the Etica Money Market Fund and not the other collective investment schemes (Etica Wealth Fund and Etica Fixed Income Fund).

And when it comes to the Effective Annual Yield Rate, the curve has been rising steadily. For example, at the end of June 2023, the rate stood at 11.7%. Two months later, the rate averaged over 12%. 

When creating the post (September 20th, 2023), the Effective Annual Yield Rate for the Etica Money Market Fund was 12.58%. and 17.2% on February 9, 2024, when updating this post. That makes it the country’s highest-yielding Money Market Fund up to that time. 

Should You Invest in Etica Money Market Fund Kenya?

Like every other investment vehicle, Money Market Funds are not risk-free, including Etica. For example, you can’t just predict the yield rate due to inflation and other market forces. 

You also have to tread carefully with new funds such as Etica, as they don’t have the reputation yet to guarantee they are here to stay. 

So, you can’t go all in and invest all your money. That, however, doesn’t mean Etica isn’t worth it. There are several reasons why you may want to invest in Etica now, and they include the following: 

1. Low Investment Amount

Frankly, a hundred shillings is unlikely to hurt you financially even if things hit a hard rock – though I’m not saying they will. Etica allows you to make a minimum investment of Ksh 100 to join the Money Market Fund. 

Most Money Market Funds in Kenya may need you to deposit at least Ksh 5,000 and some up to Ksh 500,000 – Ksh 1 million, as with the GenAfrica Money Market Fund and Nabo Africa Money Market Fund. 

2. Low Minimum Top-Up 

You don’t need much to top up your Etica Money Market Fund account. You can do it with just Ksh 100 anytime. Again, that’s unlike most Money Market Funds in Kenya, where the minimum top-up is Ksh 1,000.

Others, like Stanlib Money Market Fund and NCBA Bank Money Market Fund, require a minimum top-up of Ksh 5,000, which could be a lot for a top-up amount. 

3. High Liquidity 

Etica allows you to be liquid pretty fast. Upon making an email request, receiving your funds only takes two business days.

Even better, there are no lock-in periods. As I’ll share later, this is one of the reasons you can use the Etica Money Market Fund as your emergency fund. Unless the emergency requires the funds there and then, a 2-day waiting period should not be a lot to ask. 

4. Low Risk

Etica is regulated by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), which means one thing: they are obliged to do everything within their powers and the confines of the law to protect your investment. 

Even the trustee and custodian are CMA-approved. The fund manager carefully studies all the investment instruments they are interested in before investing or adding the unit holders to do the same. That explains why the fund’s risk profile is low. 

5. High Yield 

So far, no Money Market Fund in the country pays better than Erica. Perhaps things will change as there are no guarantees with Money Market Funds. 

However, if we can focus on the moment, the 12% + Effective Annual Yield that Etica pays out is something to savor. It makes the investment risk worth it. 

6. Supportive Team 

Lastly, I must discuss Eticas’ fantastic customer support system and management team. They quickly respond to clients’ requests, and you can reach them using multiple avenues. 

Here are the Etica Money Market Fund Kenya Contacts:

• Call/WhatsApp – +254 769 999 666
• Email – info@eticacap.com
• Live chat on the website – Eticap.com
• Head offices – Suite 4E, Allamano Centre, Consolata Shrine, Westlands, Nairobi

What to Use the Etica Money Market Fund For 

Now that you know the advantages of investing in the Etica Money Market Fund, here are ways you can use the investment options:

• Emergency Fund – You can use the Etica Money Market Fund to set up your emergency fund and allow it to earn interest. That’s possible because there’s no lock-in period, which means you can withdraw the money at any time and only need to wait for two business days. 
• Chama investment fund – If you are in a self-help group (or Chama) and are looking for a low-risk investment and a way to preserve your money, you may want to consider Etica’s anytime you want. 
• Considerable asset purchase saving – If you plan to buy an enormous asset like a house, car, or land, you may want a low-risk way of saving money. One such way is through a Money Market Fund, and Etica may be your best bet. After all, you can access the funds anytime. 
• School fees saving – You can also use your Etica Money Market Fund account as a savings account for your kids’ school fees. That applies to all levels. Remember, you aren’t just saving; your money is also growing with you. 
• Other reasons – Additionally, you can use the Etica Money Market Fund to save up for a family vacation or welfare program, a wedding, or a staff welfare project. 

How to Join Etica Money Market Fund Kenya

It’s generally easy to join the Etica Money Market Fund in Kenya, and it involves these steps:

• Visit EticaCap.com and click the open account tap at the far top right corner of the website’s homepage 
• You’ll be directed to an online page that allows you to pick your preferred type of account and accept the privacy policy and fund terms.
• Click next and fill in your personal information. 
• Click Next and verify your phone number 
• Move to the next page and verify your email
• Move to the next page and create your online password
• Lastly, make the necessary deposits (a minimum of Ksh 100) to complete the setup

Check out the Etica Money Market Fund payment options here.

Etica Money Market Fund Kenya Withdraw

Currently, Etica doesn’t have an instant withdrawal page or framework. However, you can withdraw your funds by emailing them (using the address info@eticacap.com) to make the request. 

The support will provide further instructions, and the withdrawal takes up to 2 business days. 

Concluding Thoughts 

Above is everything to know about Etica Money Market Fund Kenya, and we, as Cent Warrior, advocate it as one of the highest-paying Money Market Funds in Kenya. If you want to discover better investment opportunities, there’s a lot we’ve covered on our online store, including the priceless ‘Winning the Game of Debt‘ book and the ‘10-Step Plan To Financial Freedom‘ guide. See you there!

Also Read:

• SC Shilingi Funds Review
• KCB Money Market Fund Review