The world’s most famous mobile money service and Kenya’s national payment rails — transfers, bills, salaries, merchant payments and remittance all run on it. Agents are everywhere, and foreigners can register with a passport.
!Not a bank. M-PESA operates as a mobile money service authorised by the Central Bank of Kenya; balances are e-money held in trust; wallet balances are e-money / stored value, NOT deposits, and are outside deposit-insurance protection. Funds are safeguarded in segregated / trust accounts under the applicable rules, not covered by any deposit guarantee scheme.
Yes. You need a Kenyan (Safaricom) mobile number and a passport for registration. Visitors can usually open it at the airport or a Safaricom shop when buying a SIM; a local ID card is not strictly required.
No mandatory minimum; an initial top-up of KES 500–2,000 is typical｜Fees follow a tiered tariff by transfer amount (cheap for small sums, higher for large); withdrawals carry separate charges. See the official tariff.
Per-transaction and daily caps follow Central Bank of Kenya rules (typically several hundred thousand shillings per transaction), as do wallet balance caps. Check official terms. Balances are e-money held in trust, not bank deposits.
Yes. You need a Kenyan (Safaricom) mobile number and a passport for registration. Visitors can usually open it at the airport or a Safaricom shop when buying a SIM; a local ID card is not strictly required.
Local bank account: Not required — cash in and out at M-PESA agents; it is a cash-based system. Items typically needed: A Kenyan (Safaricom) mobile number; Passport; On-site registration with a passport photo page may be required.
Typically: A Kenyan (Safaricom) mobile number; Passport; On-site registration with a passport photo page may be required.
How to sign up: Activation is online (Safaricom SIM plus passport); deposits and withdrawals go through agents (About 20–30 minutes including SIM purchase). Steps: 1) Buy a Safaricom SIM at the airport or a shop (passport and biometrics registration) 2) Download the M-PESA app or dial *334# / *234# 3) Set your M-PESA PIN as prompted 4) Deposit cash at any agent 5) You can now transfer, pay bills and pay by phone number Fees: Fees follow a tiered tariff by transfer amount (cheap for small sums, higher for large); withdrawals carry separate charges. See the official tariff.
Per-transaction and daily caps follow Central Bank of Kenya rules (typically several hundred thousand shillings per transaction), as do wallet balance caps. Check official terms. Balances are e-money held in trust, not bank deposits.
E-wallet rules change often — always follow the latest instructions in the official app.