Grace Ashiru
For the second time in less than two years, M-PESA and Visa have joined forces to enhance global payment options for their users.
M-PESA, the widely used mobile money platform with 32.1 million users in Kenya and over 60 million across eight African markets, is making a significant move into the realm of payments. Teaming up with Visa, the global digital payments giant, M-PESA is introducing tap-to-pay capabilities, expanding beyond its existing virtual GlobalPay service and targeting the cash-dependent retail sector.
M-PESA Africa announced that Safaricom PLC has successfully attained PCI DSS compliance, further strengthening their strategic collaboration with Visa. This achievement facilitates the expansion of M-PESA’s payment capabilities to encompass card issuing and acquisition. According to Safaricom, the newly implemented tap-to-go solution will empower customers to make seamless payments, enabling merchants to conveniently receive transactions. Additionally, visitors with cards can now utilize M-PESA for payments and extend card solutions to other fintech platforms.
Visa has found a formidable ally in its efforts to expand in Africa by partnering with M-PESA. With M-PESA’s extensive user base and seamless integration into Kenyan daily life, Visa gains access to a distinctive platform, enabling it to tap into the rapidly evolving digital payments landscape across the continent.
The tap-to-pay feature is now available for customers in all eight countries where M-PESA operates. M-PESA emphasized that FintTechs and financial institutions can leverage their card processing capabilities, empowering them to offer comprehensive mobile and card payment solutions, as stated in a release on X.
