In the world of finance, there’s a rule that says, “only invest what you can afford to lose”. One of the biggest fears people have about investing their money is experiencing losses when the market falls which deters them from making investments. Though losses are a part of investments, they can be avoided by educating yourself and ensuring that you put your money in the right hands. The Mansa X Special Fund is one of the best investment funds in the country, especially for those who are new to investing or those who don’t want to take risks.
Mansa X Special Fund is a multi-asset strategy fund that invests in both local and global markets. It is designed to optimize returns for clients during all market conditions by using proprietary portfolio allocation techniques.
Here is a breakdown of the Mansa X Special Fund.
What is a Special Fund
A Special Fund, such as Mansa X Special Fund, is a type of Collective Investment Scheme (CIS), that pools money from a special group of individuals who have a common goal which is promoted by the fund manager. The fund manager targets individuals who seek to diversify their portfolio and are willing to take a moderate risk with expectations of higher returns. Special Funds maximize current income by investing into high yield investment options while protecting the investor’s capital.
Special Funds are monitored and governed by regulatory boards and legislations. In Kenya, they are governed by the Capital Markets Authority and legislated under the Capital Markets Act and Capital Markets (Collective Investment Schemes) Regulations.
A special Fund must have three key features to be operational. These are:
- A fund manager – they administer and manage funds from investors in accordance with the investment objective
- A trustee – they ensure the investor’s interest are protected at all times
- A custodian – this is usually the bank approved by the board to hold the assets/securities of the fund
What is Mansa X Special Fund
Special Funds are still fairly new in the country and Mansa X Special Fund was the first of its kind. It was launched in 2019 by Standard Investment Bank which is a leading investment service firm in Kenya. The fund’s primary objective is to offer above average returns that accelerate the investor’s capital growth.
The fund has grown rapidly over the years, surpassing most of the traditional funds that focus on local markets. At the end of Q1 2025, Mansa X Special Fund’s Assets Under Management was Ksh 47.26 Billion for the KES fund and $63.45 million for the USD fund. This made it Kenya’s third largest managed fund.
It mainly invests in the major global stock markets such as New York Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The fund is offered in Kenya Shillings (KES) and US Dollars (USD) denominations. It invests in the asset classes below:
Locally
- Cash & cash equivalents
- NSE derivatives
- NSE equities
- Fixed income
- Exchange Traded Funds
Globally
- Fixed income
- Precious metals
- Derivatives
- Currencies
- Commodities
- Single Stocks & Stock Indices
Generally, the minimum investment requirement for a special fund is set at Ksh 100,000 which bars investment banks from accepting any amount lower than the minimum. Standard Investment Bank has set its minimum requirement at Ksh 250,000 and a minimum top up of Ksh 100,000 after initial investment.
The lock-in period is 6 months. This is a specific time at which an investment cannot be sold or withdrawn. After that, you can make a withdrawal which takes 2-3 days.
How to invest in Mansa X Special Fund
- Contact Standard Investment Bank through email [email protected] or WhatsApp +254777333000 for more details on the product.
- Schedule a consultation with a professional to discuss the fund’s objectives and your objectives.
- Open an account and provide the necessary documents i.e application form, identification document, copy of KRA PIN, passport photo, copy of your bank account statement.
- Deposit your investment amount into your account. The minimum investment amount you can deposit is Ksh 250,000.
- Manage your investment account. You will receive updates from the bank on how the fund is performing
- Wait for the lock-in period to expire. The lock-in period is 6 months. After expiry, you can choose to keep your investment, withdraw your investment or top up your investment.
- The minimum top up amount is Ksh 100,000 and it can be done as many times as you wish.