Updated 1 November 2026
KCB vs Equity Bank: which is better in 2026? On the latest full-year results, KCB Group is the bigger balance sheet (KSh 2.15 trillion in assets against Equity’s KSh 1.97 trillion) and paid the higher dividend per share (KSh 7.00 against KSh 5.75), while Equity Group earned more profit (KSh 75.5 billion against KSh 68.4 billion) and grew it much faster (up 55% against 11%). For a borrower, KCB’s average personal loan price on the Total Cost of Credit site is about 15.5% a year. Below are the numbers side by side, with sources.
Updated November 2026. Sources: KCB Group FY2025 results press release (11 March 2026), Equity Group FY2025 results press release (18 March 2026), and the Kenya Bankers Association Total Cost of Credit site, read 1 November 2026. Share information here is information, not financial advice.
KCB vs Equity Bank at a glance (FY2025)
| Metric (Group, FY2025) | KCB Group | Equity Group |
|---|---|---|
| Profit after tax | KSh 68.4 billion (+11%) | KSh 75.5 billion (+55%) |
| Total assets | KSh 2.15 trillion (+9.3%) | KSh 1.97 trillion (+9%) |
| Customer deposits | KSh 1.59 trillion (+15%) | KSh 1.46 trillion (+4%) |
| Loans | KSh 1.25 trillion gross (+16.2%) | KSh 882.5 billion net (+8%) |
| Total income | KSh 214 billion | KSh 217.7 billion |
| Cost-to-income ratio | 42.5% | 51.0% |
| Bad loans | NPL ratio 16.9% | NPL coverage 67.7%, cost of risk 1.7% |
| Dividend per share for 2025 | KSh 7.00 (KSh 4 interim + KSh 3 final) | KSh 5.75 |
| Total dividend payout | KSh 22 billion | KSh 21.7 billion |
Note that KCB reports gross loans and Equity reports net loans, so the loan lines are not a like-for-like match. Each bank also reports its bad-loan position differently, so read the NPL line as indicative.
Which is bigger: KCB or Equity?
By assets and deposits, KCB is bigger. Its balance sheet closed 2025 at KSh 2.15 trillion even after it sold National Bank of Kenya, against KSh 1.97 trillion for Equity. KCB also holds more customer deposits (KSh 1.59 trillion vs KSh 1.46 trillion). Equity, however, says it has 22.4 million customer accounts and earns about half of its banking profit outside Kenya, especially in DR Congo, where profit after tax rose 58% to KSh 24.7 billion. KCB says subsidiaries outside KCB Bank Kenya contributed 30.7% of profit before tax.
Which is more profitable?
Equity made more money in 2025: KSh 75.5 billion profit after tax, up 55%, against KSh 68.4 billion at KCB, up 11%. KCB is leaner, though, with a cost-to-income ratio of 42.5% against Equity’s 51.0%. Equity Bank Kenya alone reported KSh 39.2 billion profit and a return on equity of 26.8%.
KCB vs Equity loan interest rates
The Total Cost of Credit site shows the price each bank quotes as the Central Bank Rate (CBR, now 8.75%) plus a bank premium. The averages below were last updated by the banks in June to October 2026.
| Loan type (average rate p.a.) | KCB Bank Kenya | Equity Bank Kenya |
|---|---|---|
| Personal loans | 15.54% (range 12.92% to 19.63%) | Not compared: published minimum is above the average, so the entry looks wrong |
| Mortgages | 13.7% (range 12.79% to 17.48%) | Not compared, same data issue |
| Business loans | 17.28% (range 13.82% to 19.88%) | 17.41% (range 14.5% to 19.51%) |
| Asset finance | 15.88% (range 14.32% to 19.88%) | 17.41% (range 14.5% to 19.51%) |
| Corporate loans | 13.21% (range 12.22% to 17.64%) | 15.81% (range 13.5% to 21.09%) |
On these averages, KCB is cheaper for asset finance and corporate loans, and the two are close on business loans. Interest is only part of the cost: both banks must show you the total cost of credit (interest plus fees, insurance and legal charges) before you sign. Both are licensed and supervised by the Central Bank of Kenya. For the full KCB picture, see our KCB loan interest rates guide.
Which pays better dividends?
For 2025, KCB paid KSh 7.00 a share in two parts (KSh 4 interim in November 2025, KSh 3 final) and Equity KSh 5.75, up from KSh 4.25. In total, KCB paid out KSh 22 billion and Equity KSh 21.7 billion. Dividend per share alone doesn’t tell you the yield; divide it by the share price on the day you buy. See our KCB dividend history. This is information, not financial advice.
Which should you bank with?
- Cheaper business, asset and corporate credit on current averages: KCB.
- Regional reach in DR Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania: both, with Equity earning more of its profit outside Kenya.
- Mobile loans: compare KCB M-Pesa with M-Shwari in our KCB M-Pesa vs M-Shwari guide.
- Other options: see KCB vs I&M Bank and our best banks in Kenya ranking.
KCB vs Equity Bank: frequently asked questions
Which is bigger, KCB or Equity Bank?
KCB Group, with total assets of KSh 2.15 trillion at the end of 2025 against KSh 1.97 trillion for Equity Group.
Which made more profit in 2025?
Equity Group, with KSh 75.5 billion profit after tax against KCB Group’s KSh 68.4 billion.
Which bank pays a higher dividend?
KCB paid KSh 7.00 a share for 2025 and Equity KSh 5.75. Compare yields using current share prices.
Is KCB or Equity cheaper for a loan?
On Total Cost of Credit averages, KCB is cheaper for asset finance and corporate loans, and the two are close on business loans. Always compare the total cost of credit quote, not just the rate.
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