bInvest online using the CBK DhowCSD: How to invest in government bonds and bills on your smartphone in Kenya
Gone are the days when you had to manually fill out forms and wait a whole month or so to lend the government your money. Now you can easily create an account on your smartphone and within 48 hours, you’ll be eligible to lend the government of Kenya your hard-earned money.
In case you are wondering, why would I give my money to the government? Well for the return (interest earned) of course. If you still have other questions like what a government bill or bond is, read this article first and then come back.
Investing in Treasury bonds in Kenya.
Now on to today’s topic, how to invest in government bills and bonds on your smartphone in Kenya.
Yes, you’ve read that right, You can now invest in treasury bills and bonds on your mobile phone. Thanks to the new app that was rolled out by the Central Bank of Kenya, earlier this month.
The name of the app is the DhowCSD. Dhow means ship and CSD is the initials of Central Securities Depository.
There are a few things you need when opening the CBK CDS account.
Requirements when opening a CBK DhowCSD account online.
- A smartphone with access to the internet
- A valid email address
- Be a local active mobile subscriber – your phone number will be required
- A scanned copy of your national Identity card (ID)
- A clear-coloured passport-size photo
- A KRA pin certificate
- Bank account details
How you can open the CBK DhowCSD account online for new users.
- Download the DhowCSD (from the CBK website, Play Store or App Store) and install it.
- Click on “Create Account” to begin the registration process.
- Enter your email address, choose a username, and set a secure password of your choice.
- Accept the Legal terms to proceed.
- Click on “Start registration” to initiate the official registration process for your CSD account.
- Input your personal details exactly as they appear on your official identification documents (I.D./ Passport).
- For an individual account, select “Physical Person” under USER TYPE and “Household” under ECONOMIC SECTOR.
- Choose your preferred NSE broker to facilitate your transactions.
- Enter your main registered phone number, and any other optional details.
- Upload a passport photo and a copy of your ID or passport.
- If applicable, include your KRA PIN certificate and any relevant tax exemption certificate. Note that individuals are mostly not tax-exempt, but specific entities like NGOs may qualify.
- Validate your email address by entering the verification code sent to your registered email.
How long does it take to open a CBK CSD account?
The approval process typically takes around 48 hours. Once your account is approved, you can start investing in treasury bills and bonds.
Note that registration must be completed within 7 days, as incomplete profiles will be automatically deleted by the system.
In case you encounter any hiccups while registering on the app, you can reach out to CBK for assistance, the details are in the image attached below.
A question has been raised as to:
what is the CBK USSD code.
The code is *866#. When using the code to register, once you’ve accepted the terms and registered, you will receive the following SMS message
“Dear customer, your self-registration request was successful. Kindly dial *866# and use OTP sent via SMS to login”
You will be expected to dial *866# and enter the OTP as the old PIN then enter and re-enter a New PIN.
As I pen off, I’d like to say that while passive income is a lifestyle don’t invest in something for the sake of investing. Know why you are investing otherwise, you might be wasting your time and money. And remember to always DYOR. (Do your own research)
4 thoughts on “CBK DhowCSD :How to invest in bonds online in Kenya”
Pingback: Infrastructure Bond? Exciting Investment Opportunity Alert, A Stellar 18% Return! - Financebuddy
Pingback: Infrastructure Bond? Exciting Investment Opportunity Alert, A Stellar 18% Return! - Financebuddy
Pingback: 6 Investment accounts you need in 2024 - Financebuddy
Pingback: 6 Investment accounts you need in 2024 - Financebuddy