Apply to the CMA regulatory sandbox (test a fintech product)
Capital Markets Authority · sources read 2 Oct 2026
Register on sandbox.cma.or.ke, then submit the Annex A application form, your company documents, a business model outline and an exit plan, and pay a non-refundable KSh 10,000 fee. CMA gets back to you within 14 working days.
- Fee
- KSh 10,000Application fee (non-refundable)
- How long
- CMA tells you the next step within 14 working days of receiving your application.
- Where
- Online at sandbox.cma.or.ke (Applicant's Section). Enquiries: src@cma.or.ke
What you need
- Completed application form (Annex A of the Sandbox Policy Guidance Note)
- Certified copies of all registration documents and a certified list of directors and shareholders
- CVs for all founders and key managers
- Business model outline and a plan for exiting the sandbox
Steps
- Register and log in at the Applicant's Section of sandbox.cma.or.ke.
- Submit the application form with your documents, business model outline and exit plan.
- Pay the KSh 10,000 non-refundable application fee when you submit.
- If accepted, CMA issues a letter of approval and agrees a test plan with you.
Watch out
- Getting into the sandbox is not a licence. You still need CMA approval to operate in the market after testing.
- Testing normally lasts up to 12 months, with at most one further 12-month extension.
Who can apply
- A company incorporated in Kenya, or a firm licensed by a securities regulator in an equivalent country, that plans to offer the product in Kenya after the sandbox
- Not for products already clearly covered by existing laws and regulations
Official sources (5)
- Regulatory Sandbox cma.or.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- How to Apply sandbox.cma.or.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- Who is Eligible sandbox.cma.or.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- Regulatory Sandbox Policy Guidance Note (March 2019) cma.or.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- Sandbox Applicant's Section sandbox.cma.or.ke · read 2 Oct 2026