AI chatbots now send Kenyans to money pages 19 times more often than Google, Ananke Digital report finds

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NAIROBI, 25 October 2026 – Kenyans looking for money information online are increasingly arriving through AI chatbots rather than Google search, according to the first Kenya Money Pulse report published today by Nairobi research and insights firm Ananke Digital. The report also finds that short-term Treasury bills drew heavy demand in October while money market funds kept paying more than the 91-day bill.

The report combines anonymised, aggregated audience patterns from media partner Business Radar with public data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and fund managers. It reports audience findings only as shares and ratios.

“Kenyans are now asking AI chatbots where to put their money before they ask Google,” the Ananke Digital research lead said. “Brands that want to be found need to be the answer those tools give.”

Key findings

• ChatGPT out-referred Google about 19 to 1. Between 20 and 24 October 2026, ChatGPT sent roughly 19 times as many readers to Business Radar’s money pages as Google organic search did. AI assistants (ChatGPT, Perplexity and Copilot) together accounted for 5.3% of all readers arriving at the site.
• Chatbot readers are more engaged. 58% of ChatGPT referrals were engaged, compared with 14% of direct arrivals.
• Borrowing questions come first. Loan apps and CBK-licensed digital lenders were the most read money topic, ahead of investments and T-bills versus bonds.
• T-bill demand spiked, then cooled. The 91-day bill was 628% subscribed for the 12 October value date and 622% for 19 October, before falling to 179% for 26 October.
• Money market funds pay more than short bills. Old Mutual and Madison KES money market funds showed 10.33% and 10.38% in the week to 23 October, against 8.748% on the 91-day bill.

The findings in detail

AI chatbots overtake Google as a referrer

For readers on money topics, ChatGPT has become a bigger doorway than Google’s organic results. Microsoft’s Bing, which feeds Copilot and several other assistants, was also a larger source than Google organic search over the five days. Readers who came from ChatGPT stayed about five times longer on average than direct arrivals, which suggests they arrived with a specific question and found the answer they were sent for.

Borrowing, then saving and investing

The most read money pages covered loan apps and which digital lenders hold a CBK licence, online work that pays through M-Pesa, the best investments in Kenya, T-bills versus bonds, income drawdown and how to check for unclaimed assets with the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority. In search, the most common money-related questions were about offices, branches and contacts for banks, insurers and the Social Health Authority. Most of those searches were made on mobile phones.

CBK keeps a public register of licensed digital credit providers, and borrowers can check any app against it before they take a loan. Business Radar’s verified lender tracker follows that register.

T-bill subscription swings

CBK auction results show how strongly investors chased the 91-day bill in October. Subscription reached 628% for the 12 October value date and 622% for 19 October, meaning bids were more than six times the amount on offer. It then fell to 179% for 26 October, still well above the amount offered.

Rates: short bills ease, the one-year bill holds

Between the 13 July and 26 October value dates, the 91-day rate moved from 8.825% to 8.748% and the 182-day rate from 8.971% to 8.859%. The 364-day rate rose slightly, from 8.992% to 9.027%. In bonds, FXD1/2026/030 was accepted at 14.183% for the 19 October value date.

Money market funds stay ahead

Published yields from fund managers show KES money market funds paying above 10%, with Old Mutual at 10.33% and Madison at 10.38% in the week to 23 October. That is about 1.6 percentage points more than the 91-day bill. Money market fund yields are quoted before fees and withholding tax and change daily, so savers should compare net returns.

What it means for brands

“The questions are practical: which lender is licensed, what a loan really costs, where the nearest branch is,” the Ananke Digital research lead said. “Banks, Saccos and insurers that answer those questions clearly will win the customer at the moment of decision.”

Methodology

Audience findings come from anonymised, aggregated Google Analytics 4 data from Business Radar’s audience (20–24 October 2026) and Google Search Console data (about 16 July–15 October 2026), reported only as shares and ratios. No personal data was used. Rates come from Central Bank of Kenya auction results and fund managers’ published yields, as recorded in Business Radar’s T-bill, MMF and bond rates tracker. Audience findings describe Business Radar’s readers, not all Kenyans.

Business Radar is the media partner for the Kenya Money Pulse. See also our car import duty calculator.

Download the one-page Kenya Money Pulse #1 report (PDF)