Stanbic Money Market Fund vs. Databank MFund: Which Mutual Fund Yields Higher Returns?
Based on the most recent published performance data, Databank MFund has delivered the higher returns than Stanbic Cash Trust, Ghana’s main Stanbic money-market fund. However, MFund’s higher return comes with a 1% front-load charge, while Stanbic Cash Trust has no upfront charge and a lower entry amount.stanbicbank.com+2
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Stanbic Cash Trust | Databank MFund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund type | Money-market unit trust sims.com+1 | Money-market mutual fund; current deposits go to MFund Tier 2 databankgroup+1 |
| Minimum lump sum | GH₵20 stanbicbank.com+1 | GH₵50 databankgroup+1 |
| Minimum top-up / monthly contribution | GH₵5 top-up; GH₵10 debit order stanbicbank.com+1 | GH₵10 monthly contribution databankgroup |
| Upfront charge | None sims.com | 1% on every deposit databankgroup+1 |
| Management fee | 2.00% p.a. per June 2026 fact sheet sims.com | Historically 1.25% p.a. for MFund; confirm current disclosure databankgroup |
| Trustee fee | 0.25% p.a. sims.com | Custodian fee up to 0.25% p.a. databankgroup |
| Latest YTD return | 10.59% for the main class, per Wallflake’s latest tracking wallflake | 24.20% YTD, per Wallflake’s latest tracking wallflake+1 |
| 1-year return | 39.3% for the main class as at February 2026 sims.com | 22.99% as at May 2026 databankgroup |
Which Fund Has Yielded More?
Databank MFund has been the stronger performer year-to-date. Wallflake’s fund tracker lists MFund at +24.20% YTD, compared with +10.59% YTD for Stanbic Cash Trust’s main class.wallflake+2
Databank’s May 2026 fund fact sheet also reported MFund’s one-year compounded annual growth at 22.99%, with a year-to-date return of 19.50% as at 31 May 2026.databankgroup
Stanbic Cash Trust’s June 2026 fact sheet reported a 6.7% year-to-date return for the main class, outperforming its 3.9% benchmark, while its AMC sub-class returned 3.4%. The difference between Stanbic’s main class and AMC sub-class matters: the main class had the stronger recent performance, while the AMC sub-class is the larger pool and has produced lower recent returns.sims.com+1
Important Return Caveat
A higher headline return does not automatically mean more money in your pocket. MFund charges 1% on every deposit, so a GH₵1,000 deposit would start with GH₵990 invested before market performance.databankgroup+1
Stanbic Cash Trust advertises no upfront or redemption charge, but its June 2026 fact sheet lists a 2.00% annual management fee, a 0.25% trustee fee, and a 1.36% total expense ratio. Therefore, compare net returns after fees, not just gross NAV growth.sims.com
Fund Strategy and Risk
Both funds are designed for short-term income, liquidity, and capital preservation, but they are not identical. Stanbic Cash Trust invests in fixed-interest securities including treasury securities, quasi-government securities, fixed deposits, and cash equivalents.stanbicbank.com+1
Databank MFund invests 100% in money-market instruments and is positioned for investors seeking competitive short-term returns with relatively easy access to their money.databankgroup+1
| Investor priority | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Lowest entry amount | Stanbic Cash Trust, from GH₵20 stanbicbank.com+1 |
| Smallest recurring contribution | Databank MFund, from GH₵10 monthly databankgroup |
| No upfront deposit charge | Stanbic Cash Trust sims.com |
| Higher recent YTD return | Databank MFund databankgroup+2 |
| Short-term parking of cash | Either, but check redemption timelines and current liquidity terms databankgroup+1 |
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Databank MFund if your priority is maximizing recent returns and you are comfortable with the 1% deposit charge. Its recent YTD performance has been materially higher than Stanbic Cash Trust’s main class.databankgroup+2
Choose Stanbic Cash Trust if you want the lowest starting amount, no upfront charge, and a fund managed by Stanbic Investment Management Services. It may be more suitable for small, frequent deposits because its minimum top-up is GH₵5 and debit-order contribution is GH₵10.stanbicbank.com+1
For a balanced approach, some investors split funds between both: use one fund for emergency-style liquidity and the other for a slightly longer short-term savings goal. Before investing, download the latest fund fact sheets, confirm current NAVs and fees, and remember that mutual-fund returns are not guaranteed.
