PayPal-to-M-Pesa transfers have been affected by a service disruption, with some users reporting difficulties moving funds between the two platforms.
In a response on August 17, Safaricom confirmed the disruption after a customer complaint, saying it was aware of the issue and working to resolve it.
“Hello Lydia, our apologies for the inconvenience. We are aware of this and working on resolving it as soon as possible,” said Safaricom.
The telecommunications company apologized to affected customers for the inconvenience but did not provide a specific timeline for when the service would be fully restored.
The disruption has also been reported by users experiencing difficulties when attempting to move funds from PayPal to their M-PESA wallets.
How PayPal-M-PESA Transfers Work
PayPal and M-PESA maintain a link that lets eligible customers in Kenya move money between the two platforms.
Also Read: Why PayPal is Closing Kenyan Accounts in 2026: How to Appeal Limitations and Recover Your Money
PayPal lists M-PESA among the options available for withdrawing PayPal funds, allowing users to access money received from international customers through their mobile wallets. The service is particularly useful for freelancers and other online workers who receive payments from clients outside Kenya.
Safaricom and PayPal also strengthened their integration in 2025, allowing customers to link their PayPal and M-PESA accounts and transfer funds between the platforms. The service was positioned as a way of making cross-platform transactions easier for customers and businesses in Kenya.
The development followed changes to the way Kenyans accessed the service. In August 2025, the standalone PayPal Mobile Money platform operated through Thunes was discontinued, and users were directed to the newer M-PESA integration.
Fees and Access to Funds
Under Safaricom’s published PayPal-M-PESA terms, withdrawals and top-ups are subject to a 3% currency conversion fee.
The terms also state that a withdrawal from PayPal to M-PESA results in Safaricom crediting the customer’s M-PESA wallet after the payment instruction is processed.
The service provides an important bridge between an international digital payments platform and Kenya’s widely used mobile-money system.
According to PayPal, Kenyan users can receive payments from international customers and subsequently withdraw their funds to M-PESA.
For customers currently unable to complete withdrawals, Safaricom has not announced a separate workaround or alternative processing channel.
Also Read: Safaricom Reveals Why Data Bundles Expire Faster, Shares Tips on How to Save Data
Steps to Link PayPal to Safaricom’s Mobile Money Transfer Platform
- Open the M-Pesa App and ensure the app is updated via the App Store or Play Store.
- Navigate to the PayPal Section: Go to the “Finance” or “Global Payments” section and select the “PayPal” option.
- Log in to PayPal by entering your PayPal email and password.
- If your accounts are not linked yet, enter your Safaricom money number registered with M-PESA. You will get a 4-digit confirmation code by SMS. Enter the code to verify and link your accounts. Make sure the names on both accounts match exactly to avoid any errors.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
