Users in Kenya can now easily withdraw their money from Paypal to Mpesa – thanks to the partnership between Paypal and Safaricom.

The transaction is supported by Thunes (formerly TransferTo), a cross-border payment systems company.

In this article, I will explore:

• Basic Requirements
• How to Easily withdraw money from Paypal to Mpesa
• PayPal to Mpesa charges
• Exchange rates while withdrawing
• Maximum withdrawal amount per day
• How long does it take for the entire transaction to be complete?
• Is PayPal to Mpesa transaction safe?

Here we go.

Basic Requirements to send money from PayPal to Mpesa

1. Have a PayPal account. You can create one for free at paypal.com with only an email address.
2. Have an Mpesa account. Visit any of Mpesa dealers across the country to get started.
3. Be a Kenyan national. You should have selected Kenya as your country while creating your PayPal account.
4. Link your PayPal and Mpesa accounts. (More on this in the next step)
5. And, of course, have some funds in your PayPal accounts!

How to Link Your PayPal and Mpesa Accounts

I will assume that you already have a PayPal account.

NB: The name on your PayPal account must match the name used while registering your Sim Card for Mpesa.

Follow these steps to link your PayPal to Mpesa:

1. Visit the PayPal Mpesa page by typing www.paypal-mobilemoney.com/m-pesa
2. Click Log In or Get Started
3. Input your PayPal Username and Password
4. Add the Mpesa number you want to link
5. PayPal will send an OTP code to your number, which you will input to verify your number.
6. You have successfully linked your PayPal account to Mpesa!

Let’s proceed.

How to Withdraw Money from Paypal to Mpesa

Here’s how to withdraw money from PayPal to Mpesa.

• Visit Paypal Mobile Money Service by visiting www.paypal-mobilemoney.com/m-pesa.
• Click Log In at the top right of the screen.
• Input your PayPal username and password.
• Click Withdraw from PayPal on the dashboard.

• Input the amount you want to withdraw (in dollars). (Note that the amount should be equal to or less than the balance in your PayPal account)
• On the next page, you’ll see the amount you’ll receive in Kenyan shillings, the transaction cost, and the estimated time for the transaction.
• Click Withdraw.
• You’ll receive an email from PayPal and a message from Safaricom indicating that a transaction is underway.
• Wait for the money to reach your Mpesa account, depending on the withdrawal time.

Read more: How to Calculate Gratuity in Kenya

PayPal to Mpesa Charges

The transaction cost of the PayPal to Mpesa withdrawal is 3% of the withdrawal amount. Thune charges this fee to support its business.

Exchange rates while withdrawing

Exchange rates from Dollar to Kes. will be shown when conducting the transaction.

Also, note that as of now, you can only transfer dollars to Mpesa from PayPal.

Other currencies are not supported. However, Thune has announced that they are working on introducing withdrawal for other major currencies to cater to more customers.

Maximum withdrawal amount per day

While withdrawing from PayPal to Mpesa, you should try to adhere to the Safaricom’s Mpesa rates:

• Mpesa can only support up to Kes. 150,000 per transaction
• The maximum transaction amount per day is Kes. 300,000
• Mpesa account can only hold a balance of Kes. 300,000

Failure to follow these rules will lead to delays in the transactions.

How long does it take for the entire transaction to be complete?

The PayPal to Mpesa transaction can take anywhere from 2 hours to 3 calendar days, depending on the transaction amount, the larger the amount, the more time it takes.

Read more: How to Start a Youtube Channel in Kenya

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is PayPal to Mpesa transaction safe?

Yes. It is safe. The transaction has been possible by integrating PayPal and Mpesa, the two largest money-transfer platforms.

2. How do I top up my PayPal account from Mpesa?

In case you want to transfer money from Mpesa to PayPal:

• Visit www.paypal-mobilemoney.com/m-pesa
• Log in using your PayPal username and password
• Click Top Up to PayPal and check the amount you’ll need to deposit to get the required Dollars.
• Go to the Mpesa menu and select Lipa na Mpesa
• Enter Business number 800088
• Enter your phone number as the Account Number
• Enter the amount and your Mpesa Pin.
• The transaction is now complete. Wait for a message from Mpesa and an email from PayPal.

3. Why can’t I withdraw money from PayPal to Mpesa?

Several reasons will make you not be able to withdraw money from PayPal to Mpesa:

• Your PayPal name does not match the name on your Mpesa account
• PayPal may put the transaction on hold if they suspect fraudulent activities. In this case, the hold on the transaction may last for a maximum of 180 days.

4. PayPal is telling me “Something went wrong on our end.” What should I do?

Clear cookies first before logging in, or change your browser.

5. Is there a PayPal-Mpesa app?

There is no PayPal-Mpesa APK at the moment. Furthermore, the apps that you’ll find online claiming that they support PayPal to Mpesa transactions are not safe at all.

Note: Do all your transactions from a browser, and the official URLs of paypal.com and www.paypal-mobilemoney.com/m-pesa

6. Is PayPal to Mpesa transaction worth it?

Withdrawing money from PayPal to Mpesa is worth it, especially for Kenyans getting paid through international platforms like Fiverr.

Since the PayPal platform isn’t that much used for local transactions in Kenya, it is convenient for one to transfer the funds to their Mpesa account.

I hope this guide helped you quickly transfer money from PayPal to Mpesa. In case of any questions, you can leave a comment below.