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M-PESSA

M-Pesa is a mobile phone-based money transfer service, payments and micro-financing service, launched in 2007 by Vodafone Group plc and Safaricom, the largest mobile network operator in Kenya. It has since expanded to Tanzania, Mozambique, DRC, Lesotho, Ghana, Egypt, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Established on 6th March 2007 by Vodafone's Kenyan associate, Safaricom, M-Pesa is Africa's leading mobile money service, with over 42 million active customers and almost 400,000 active resellers operating across 7 countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique and Tanzania.

mobile money transfer allows those without a bank account to transfer funds as quickly and easily as sending a text message. The most successful of these systems, and the first to operate on a large scale, is M-Pesa, a joint venture between mobile phone giant Vodafone and Kenya's Safaricom. For business, the technology has revolutionised cashflow.

Key facts about M-PESA

  • M-Pesa is one of the innovative tools that’s been born out of a collaboration of telecommunications and banking sectors in East Africa
  • It was launched in Kenya and is now used in 10 countries, including India and Romania.
  • New technology in the financial sector has made it possible for financial services and products, like M-Pesa, to be accessible at small costs.
  • M-Pesa makes it possible for unbanked people to pay for and receive goods and services using a mobile phone instead of utilising a brick-andmortar bank

How does M-PESA work?

M-PESA is a virtual banking system (mobile money service) that offers transaction services through a SIM card on a mobile phone. In Kenya this must be with a Safaricom SIM card. The SIM card is inserted into the card slot of the mobile device and users can receive and store money, as well as make payments and transfer money to vendors and family members using SMS messages.
It’s particularly useful to users who have no bank accounts and live in remote rural areas. They are able to access the numerous M-PESA outlets distributed across the country. Money that needs to be stored is given to the kiosk attendant, who transfers the amount in digital form to their M-PESA account that sits on their phone.

How To Have An M-pessa Account And Make Your Phone A Bank

To use the service, customers first register with Safaricom at an M-Pessa outlet, usually a shop, chemist or petrol station. They can then load money onto their phone. The money is sent onto a third party by text message. The recipient takes the phone to their nearest vendor, where they can pick up the cash.

Registration

To open an M-PESA account you must register first by visiting an M-PESA reseller outlet, Safaricom shop or Care Desk to register. You’ll need a mobile phone with a Safaricom SIM card and valid identification document, which can be:

  Kenyan National ID

  Valid Kenyan Passport

  Valid Foreign Passport

  Kenya Military ID

  Kenyan Foreigner Certificate

Please note that valid foreign passports, Kenya Military ID and Foreigner Certificate must be registered at a Safaricom shop or Care Desk as the Reseller can only register users with Kenyan passports or National ID.
You’ll receive a confirmation message and numeric start key PIN to activate M-PESA on your phone. Then you and the reseller will fill in and sign a registration form – which you’ll keep as proof of registration
Activation
After successfully registering, you’ll need to activate M-PESA on your phone using the 4-digit M-PESA PIN sent by SMS after registration.
Here’s how:
Go to the SAFARICOM menu on your phone and:

  • Select M-PESA menu, then select Activate
  • Enter the M-PESA PIN received via SMS
  • Create your own secret PIN (4-digit number) and confirm it
  • Enter ID number – same one used during registration
  • On successful activation, you’ll receive a confirmation message with your balance

With the M-PESA menu on your phone, under Safaricom, you can now store, send and receive money and airtime using your mobile phone. You can buy items in shops or online, pay bills, school fees, and top up mobile airtime. You can also withdraw cash at authorized resellers.

How to send money to M-PESA in Kenya

You can send a money transfer to M-PESA in minutes using any device. The transfer can be paid for using any of our available payment option in your region such as a debit or credit card , cryptocurrency, and many more and the funds will usually be credited instantly.
Mpesa as a payment method is only available when your currency is set to KES.

To do so, follow these simple steps:

Start The Transfer process
Visit our homepage on the send money transfer wizard and select M-Pessa/Kenya from the of the transfer modes in the dropdown list and click on the GET STARTED BUTTON to proceed
Create account/login to varmstra
On the next screen, register if you are new or login and in your account, click on the transfer wizard.
Select delivery Country/transfer mode
On the next screen, select M-Pessa/Kenya mobile money transfer in the select transfer Mode dropdown list.
Entering Recipient informations /Details
Now enter the recipient M-Pessa phone or account number in the Account number field and his/her name in the beneficiary field.
Enter Amount To Send in Receiver’s currency
In the Amount Field, select KES as currency and type the amount in KES you wish to send
Enter Amount To Send in Receiver’s currency
In the Amount Field, select KES as currency and type the amount in KES you wish to send and type anything you wish to use as a reference for the money send in the narration field.
Confirming transfer charges to generate invoice and payment options
Check below the narration field to see the transfer charge for the amount you wish to send. If you are comfortable with the fee, then click on the transfer money to proceed to payment.
Choosing How You Want To Pay
In the invoice that will be generated ,select your choice of payment in the available payment options in your region or currency and your payment will be done and your recipient will cash their money instantly .They will be notify or you immediately connect to the my dialer app and call them if you wish at cheap rate.
If you still how doubt , send a support ticket or visit out Faqs page.