Safaricom and global payments giant PayPal have collaborated to create seamless connectivity between mobile money and online transactions.
The landmark partnership looks to empower over 35 million M-PESA customers and two million Kenyan businesses—from street vendors to tech start-ups—to send and receive payments across PayPal’s vast network spanning 200 markets worldwide.
Users can now link their M-PESA and PayPal wallets, enabling instant transfers between the two platforms. The service, currently available to M-PESA customers in Kenya with plans for expansion across other M-PESA markets, addresses a long-standing pain point for Africa’s digitally savvy but financially excluded populations.
According to Esther Waititu, Safaricom’s Chief Financial Services Officer, this partnership continues to dismantle existing barriers.
“As globalization and digitization continue to reshape how people and businesses connect, our partnership with PayPal is a bold step forward in enabling seamless, worry-free, safe, secure, and inclusive digital payments. This collaboration empowers over thirty-five million customers and two million businesses and micro-entrepreneurs across Kenya to participate in the global digital economy by conveniently sending and receiving payments across more than 200 markets. It’s part of our commitment to unlocking opportunities and transforming lives through the power of M-PESA,” she said.
This move aligns with the need to increase financial inclusion in Africa. From Safaricom’s M-PESA Kadogo, introduced in 2016, where it waived fees for transactions of Sh100 and below, to fostering savings through Ziidi MMF that allows one to invest as low as Sh100, this is the next step as it connects users to the global digital marketplace.
“Building seamless connections between the global economy and local financial ecosystems is crucial to expanding digital financial inclusion. We are thrilled to enable millions of M-PESA’s customers across Africa to connect more easily to PayPal’s international customer base,” said Otto Williams, Regional Head and General Manager for the Middle East and Africa, PayPal.
With M-PESA processing over Sh142.12 billion ($1.1 billion) daily across 50 million African users, and PayPal’s 400 million-strong user base dominating online commerce, together they form a financial bridge that could accelerate Africa’s participation in the digital revolution.
The partnership also signals a shift toward interoperability in Africa’s fintech sector. With the increase of digital wallets, banks, and payment platforms, the winners will be consumers and businesses, no longer constrained by fragmented systems.
