Kenya’s October Remittances Fall to $430.5 Million: What the CBK Figures Show
Kenya received $430.5 million in October 2026 remittances, down 1.9% year-on-year. CBK data show North American inflows fell as other regions grew.
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Market Context
Kenya received $430.5 million in remittances in October 2026, down 1.9% from October 2025. Inflows over the twelve months to October totalled $5.023 billion. These transfers remain a key source of foreign exchange and support Kenya’s balance of payments. CBK weekly bulletin, 13 November.
Kenyans abroad sent home less money in October than a year earlier. The decline was $8.3 million, based on CBK’s rounded monthly totals.
The detailed data show an uneven picture. Lower inflows from North America outweighed increases from Europe and the rest of the world.
October inflows fell on both comparisons
| Category | Value (USD million) |
|---|---|
| October 2025 | 438.8 |
| October 2026 | 430.5 |
Same-month comparison of recorded remittance inflows.
Source: CBK weekly bulletin, 13 November 2026.
October’s $430.5 million compares with $438.8 million in October 2025.
Inflows also fell from September 2026, when Kenya received $438.5 million. October was about 1.8% lower, calculated from CBK’s detailed monthly table.
These are separate comparisons. The 1.9% decline is year-on-year; the 1.8% decline is month-on-month. CBK monthly remittance data.
Our Kenya cross-border payments guide explains the infrastructure behind these flows.
North America accounted for the largest decline
North American inflows fell from $262.6 million to $195.6 million between October 2025 and October 2026.
That was a 25.5% decline, calculated from the detailed CBK figures.
Europe increased 3.3% to $85.1 million. The rest-of-world category rose 59.7% to $149.8 million.
| Source region | October 2025 | October 2026 | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | USD 262.6 million | USD 195.6 million | −25.5% |
| Europe | USD 82.4 million | USD 85.1 million | +3.3% |
| Rest of world | USD 93.8 million | USD 149.8 million | +59.7% |
Source: CBK diaspora remittance table. Values are rounded to one decimal place. Percentage changes use the underlying figures.
The North American decline was about $67.1 million. Gains elsewhere offset most of that fall.
North America still supplied 45.4% of October’s recorded inflows. That is a regional share, not the United States’ share.
The rest-of-world grouping does not identify which individual countries drove its increase.
The rolling annual total also declined
| Category | Value (USD billion) |
|---|---|
| Twelve months to October 2025 | 5.082 |
| Twelve months to October 2026 | 5.023 |
Rolling twelve-month periods ending in October. These are not January–December totals.
Source: CBK weekly bulletin, 13 November 2026.
The difference between the published totals is $59 million.
The latest period covers November 2025 through October 2026. It should not be labelled Kenya’s full-year 2026 total.
A lower annual total also does not mean every source country or transfer provider recorded a decline.
What the figures measure
CBK surveys remittance inflows through formal channels each month. Those channels include commercial banks and other authorised international remittance providers. CBK’s methodology.
The data show recorded flows. They do not establish why senders transferred less or which providers gained customers.
They also do not prove that missing inflows moved into crypto.
Blockchain transaction estimates can include trading, investment and transfers unrelated to household support. They cannot be treated as interchangeable with CBK’s remittance series.
What recipients should compare
National inflows do not reveal the fees or exchange rate paid by an individual sender.
The useful comparison is the recipient’s final amount for the same sender budget and payout method.
For a transfer to M-Pesa Kenya, check the net wallet credit and any later withdrawal costs.
For a Kenyan bank payout, check the receiving account, timing and possible deductions.
A stablecoin route can involve token purchases, network charges and conversion back to shillings. Our USDT and USDC comparison explains those choices.
A lower advertised fee alone does not establish a better payout. The conversion rate and other charges also affect the result.
