Safaricom and PayPal have announced a partnership enabling M-PESA users in Kenya to transfer funds directly between their mobile wallets and PayPal accounts.
This integration, now available to over 35 million M-PESA users and two million local businesses, aims to streamline access to international e-commerce, gig economy payments, and cross-border remittances.
The collaboration will allow Kenyan freelancers, digital entrepreneurs, and small businesses to more easily receive global payments via PayPal and convert them into local currency through M-PESA.
According to Safaricom Chief Financial Services Officer Esther Waititu, the partnership marks a major step towards seamless and inclusive digital payments by linking Kenya’s most widely used mobile money service with one of the world’s leading online payment platforms.
Otto Williams, PayPal’s Regional Head for Middle East and Africa, emphasized that the move will advance financial inclusion by connecting local financial systems to the global economy. M-PESA, which processes over $1.1 billion (Sh141.9 billion) daily, is now even more valuable to Kenya’s growing digital economy and gig workforce, many of whom rely on PayPal for international transactions.
Plans are underway to expand this integration to other M-PESA markets across Africa, further empowering users and businesses to participate in cross-border trade and digital commerce. PayPal currently boasts 400 million active users across 200 markets worldwide.
