SC Shilingi Funds is Standard Chartered Kenya’s fully digital platform that lets existing clients invest from KES 500 into a money market fund managed by Sanlam Allianz Investments. Interest is calculated daily and compounded monthly. The product suits emergency funds, short-term goals and idle cash that needs better returns than a basic savings account while staying liquid.
This guide covers verified features, fees, how yields and tax work, step-by-step investment and key risks as of October 2026. Yields are not fixed and are not guaranteed.
SC Shilingi Funds at a Glance
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| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Platform | SC Shilingi Funds (via SC Mobile app) |
| Underlying fund | SanlamAllianz Money Market Fund |
| Minimum initial investment | KES 500 (SC platform) |
| Top-ups | One-off or recurring (weekly/monthly) |
| Entry / exit fees | Official product page: zero upfront charges for investments and withdrawals |
| Fund management fee | 2.0% p.a. of AUM (per SanlamAllianz MMF factsheet); already deducted from published yields |
| Interest | Calculated daily, compounded monthly |
| Withholding tax | 15% on interest (final tax for most individuals) |
| Liquidity | Withdraw anytime; proceeds usually reach your SC current account in 1–3 business days |
| Risk profile | Low / conservative |
| Who can invest | Existing Standard Chartered Kenya clients with a KES current account |
Sources: Standard Chartered SC Shilingi Funds official page; SanlamAllianz Money Market Fund factsheet (September 2026 update); CMA-regulated unit trust framework. Always confirm live rates and fees in the SC Mobile app and the latest factsheet.
Interest Rates and How Yields Work
The official SC Shilingi product page does not publish a fixed live numerical rate. Yields change daily with market conditions. You see the current indicative rate inside the SC Mobile app.
The yield shown on the platform is already net of the fund manager’s annual management fee and is still gross of the 15% withholding tax (and any applicable bank admin charge). Interest accrues daily and is compounded monthly when credited as additional units.
Independent trackers and SanlamAllianz’s own published figures in early–mid October 2026 placed the underlying SanlamAllianz Money Market Fund effective annual yield in the region of roughly 9.4% to 9.5% gross. That is a point-in-time industry/fund figure, not a guaranteed SC Shilingi rate. Always use the number displayed in the app and the latest fund factsheet before investing.
Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Rates are not fixed and can move up or down.
Core Features
- Low entry on the SC platform: Start from KES 500.
- Flexible top-ups: One-off anytime, or set a recurring weekly or monthly plan from your linked SC current account.
- Zero upfront entry/exit charges (product page): The official SC Shilingi page states there are zero upfront charges for investments and withdrawals. The usual annual fund management charges still apply and are already reflected in the published yield.
- High liquidity: Full or partial withdrawals anytime. Money is returned to your linked Standard Chartered KES current account, typically within 1–3 business days.
- Fully digital: All investing and redemptions run inside the SC Mobile app for existing clients.
- Short-term, low-risk focus: The fund invests in high-quality money market instruments (Treasury securities, deposits, corporate paper, etc.) with capital preservation and liquidity as primary aims.
Fees Explained Clearly
Fund management fee
Charged by SanlamAllianz on the fund’s assets. The September 2026 SanlamAllianz Money Market Fund factsheet lists an Annual Management Fee of 2.0% of AUM (Total Expense Ratio around 2.6%). Earlier notices raised the fee from 1.2% to 1.5% (2024) and later to 2.0%. Official SC wording is that the annual management fee is “as indicated in their respective factsheet” and that the interest rate published on the platform has already deducted this charge.
Bank / platform charges
The SC product page states zero upfront charges for investments and withdrawals. The bank’s general investment fee schedule still lists a maximum 1% of invested amount for SC Shilingi Funds. A 1% upfront admin fee was publicly waived in 2023. Do not assume the schedule entry is currently charged on every transaction — confirm at the point of investment inside the app or with Standard Chartered Wealth what (if any) bank admin fee applies.
Tax
15% withholding tax is deducted on interest earned. For most individual investors this is a final tax. The yield you see on the platform is gross of this tax.
Who Can Invest
SC Shilingi Funds is available only to Standard Chartered Bank Kenya customers who have a KES current/transaction account linked on the SC Mobile app.
Many clients use the fee-free Hifadhi Current Account (official minimum opening balance KES 2,000). You also need a registered KRA PIN and a verified National ID or Passport already on file with the bank.
If you are not yet an SC client, open a suitable current account first, then return to the app for Shilingi.
How to Invest (Step by Step)
- Open the official SC Mobile app and log in.
- Go to the Investing / Wealth section.
- Select SC Shilingi Funds.
- Complete any short profile or risk checklist if prompted.
- Choose Top Up / Subscribe.
- Enter the amount (minimum KES 500 for the first investment).
- Select one-time or set a recurring weekly/monthly debit from your linked SC current account.
- Review the order (amount, yield note, terms) and confirm with your mobile banking PIN.
- Your current account is debited; units are allocated according to the fund’s dealing rules. Check status in the app.
You can top up as often as you wish within any daily or per-transaction limits shown in the app. Factsheets and T&Cs are available for download on the Shilingi platform inside the app.
Withdrawals
Request a full or partial redemption in the same SC Shilingi screen. There is no exit fee on the product page. Proceeds are credited to your linked Standard Chartered KES current account, usually within 1–3 business days. Interest continues to accrue up to the dealing day of the redemption.
Risks and Points to Watch
- Yields are variable and not guaranteed. They move with interest rates and market conditions.
- This is a unit trust investment, not a bank deposit. It is not covered by the Deposit Protection Fund in the same way as ordinary deposits.
- The fund targets capital preservation and liquidity but still carries the credit and liquidity risks of its underlying short-term instruments.
- Confirm both the fund management fee (factsheet) and any bank charges before large transfers.
- You must already bank with Standard Chartered.
This remains a low-risk product relative to equities or long-duration bonds, but capital is not absolutely guaranteed.
Read also:How Money Market Funds Work in Kenya (2026 Guide)
Sanlam Kenya Contacts, Branches, Services & Head Office 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum investment for SC Shilingi Funds?
KES 500 on the SC platform for the initial investment.
What is the current interest rate?
It changes daily. Check the live rate inside the SC Mobile app and the latest SanlamAllianz Money Market Fund factsheet. Independent figures in early–mid October 2026 put the underlying fund around 9.4–9.5% gross effective annual yield.
Are there entry or exit fees?
The official product page states zero upfront charges for investments and withdrawals. The annual fund management fee still applies and is already reflected in the published yield. The bank’s general fee schedule lists a maximum 1% for SC Shilingi Funds — confirm at transaction time whether any bank admin fee is charged.
What is the management fee?
2.0% p.a. of assets under management according to the recent SanlamAllianz Money Market Fund factsheet. Published platform yields are already net of this fee.
How is tax handled?
15% withholding tax is deducted on interest. The yield shown on the platform is net of management fees and gross of this tax.
How long do withdrawals take?
Typically 1–3 business days for funds to reach your SC current account.
Do I need a Standard Chartered account?
Yes. The product is available only to SC Kenya clients via the SC Mobile app.
Is SC Shilingi the same as investing directly with Sanlam?
SC Shilingi is the distribution platform. Your money is invested in the SanlamAllianz Money Market Fund. Direct Sanlam minimums and channels differ (often KES 2,500+).
Bottom Line
SC Shilingi Funds gives Standard Chartered clients a simple app-based route into a regulated money market fund from KES 500, with daily interest, monthly compounding, free withdrawals on the product terms, and no lock-in. The fund management fee (2.0% p.a. per the latest factsheet) is already built into the yields shown on the platform; those yields are still before 15% withholding tax.
Rates are not fixed and are not guaranteed. Always check the live rate and factsheet in the SC Mobile app before you invest, and treat the product as a capital-preservation and liquidity tool rather than a high-return growth vehicle.
Sources: Standard Chartered – SC Shilingi Funds; Standard Chartered – Hifadhi Current Account; Standard Chartered Investment Products Fees & Charges; SanlamAllianz Money Market Fund Fact Sheet (September 2026 update); SanlamAllianz Investments published yields (early October 2026); Capital Markets Authority framework for unit trusts. Yields and fees change. Verify live data in the SC Mobile app and the latest factsheet. This article is for general information only and is not investment, tax or legal advice. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.