East Africa
Safaricom & PayPal Unite: Linking M‑PESA to the Global Economy
In late July 2025, Safaricom and PayPal officially launched a strategic partnership that connects M‑PESA, Africa’s leading mobile money platform, to PayPal’s global payment network. This pioneering service allows users in Kenya to link their M‑PESA wallet directly with PayPal, facilitating seamless two‑way transfers between platforms
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Who’s Covered & Where ✳️
- 35+ million M‑PESA users in Kenya, including over 2 million businesses and micro‑entrepreneurs, now have access to PayPal’s global ecosystem .
- At launch, the service is exclusively available in Kenya, with plans underway for expansion across other M‑PESA markets in Africa .
What You Can Do
- Transfer funds from PayPal into M‑PESA, enabling funds to land directly in your Kenyan mobile wallet.
- Withdraw M‑PESA funds into PayPal, making it easier for freelancers, gig‑economy workers, and businesses to receive payments internationally.
Why It Matters
- This collaboration brings cross‑border payments into the mobile‑first world of African fintech, elevating access to global e‑commerce and remote work opportunities.
- PayPal’s footprint — 400+ million accounts in 200+ markets — now becomes accessible to M‑PESA users via Safaricom’s platform.
- Meanwhile, M‑PESA handles over $1.1 billion in daily transactions, across more than 50 million customers and 2 million businesses.
Words from the Leaders
“As globalization and digitisation continue to reshape how people and businesses connect, our partnership with PayPal is a bold step … enabling seamless, worry‑free, safe, secure, and inclusive digital payments.”
— Esther Waititu, Chief Financial Services Officer, Safaricom.
“We are thrilled to enable millions of M‑PESA’s customers across Africa to connect more easily to PayPal’s international customer base.” — Otto Williams, Regional Head and GM, Middle East & Africa, PayPal.
A Shift Toward Simplified, Secure Transfers
As of August 16, 2025, the legacy Thunes‑powered portal (paypal‑mobilemoney.com/m‑pesa) will be discontinued. Instead, transfers will be initiated directly via the M‑PESA app, without relying on PayPal’s web interface. Users must link or update their accounts within the app before that date to avoid service disruption.
This move reflects a broader evolution: transferring control to local platforms while improving security and streamlining user experience.
✨ What This Means for Kenyans & African Entrepreneurs
| Benefits | Impact |
|---|---|
| Instant mobile transfers | No need for bank accounts or foreign currency conversions |
| Global earning potential | Freelancers and SMEs can receive and withdraw payments seamlessly |
| Reduced friction & improved security | Mobile‑first integration adds convenience and trust |
| Access to global markets | Kenyan businesses can transact with buyers in over 200 nations |
For African gig-economy professionals, online sellers, and service providers globally, this integration offers a lifeline to digital income previously out of reach.
Looking Ahead 📈
- The service is currently live in Kenya; Safaricom and PayPal plan to expand to other M‑PESA markets — such as Tanzania, Ghana, South Africa, and more — in the coming months.
- Users should expect full migration to the M‑PESA app interface with the Thunes web portal sunset in August 2025.
🚀 Conclusion
The Safaricom–PayPal partnership marks a milestone in digital financial inclusion for Africa. By empowering M‑PESA users in Kenya to tap directly into PayPal’s global economy — with security, privacy, and simplicity — this integration redefines cross-border transfer, gig work, and e‑commerce accessibility across the continent.
📌 Key Facts Recap
- ✅ 37‑million+ potential users (incl. businesses) in Kenya
- ✅ Real‑time, two‑way linking of M‑PESA and PayPal accounts
- ✅ Thunes portal will close on August 16, 2025—M‑PESA app is the only route
- ✅ Future expansion to other M‑PESA markets planned
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