PayPal M-Pesa in Kenya: A Step-by-Step Guide

To use PayPal M-Pesa in Kenya, first make sure your M-Pesa account is registered and active.

You can register your M-Pesa account at an M-Pesa agent location or online.

Next, link your M-Pesa account to your PayPal account through the PayPal website.

This will allow you to send and receive money using your M-Pesa account.

PayPal M-Pesa is a service that allows users to move money between their PayPal and M-Pesa accounts.

It's only available and accessible in Kenya, where you can register for a PayPal account on their website and for an M-Pesa account at any of Safaricom's agents across Kenya.

The service was officially launched on 8th April 2018 and is now operated by Thunes, a B2B mobile payment service.

You can link your Safaricom line to make transfers in mere minutes by heading over to paypal-mobilemoney.com.

The service only allows you to withdraw from USD to KSH or top-up from KSH to USD, with conversion fees of 3% for withdrawals and 4% for top-ups.

M-PESA daily limits apply when using the service, with a cap of 300,000 KES per day.

To get started with PayPal M-Pesa, you must first link your PayPal and M-Pesa accounts. This allows you to withdraw your PayPal funds to your M-Pesa.

To link your PayPal and M-Pesa accounts, visit the official PayPal-M-Pesa partnership website. Click on “Get Started” to start the registration process. Ensure that the name on your PayPal account and the name on your M-Pesa account must correspond, otherwise, you won’t be able to link your PayPal to M-Pesa.

Here are the steps to link your PayPal and M-Pesa accounts:

Before you can transfer money between PayPal and M-PESA, you need to link your accounts. Ensure you have a verified PayPal account and a registered M-PESA account. Both accounts should use the same email address and phone number.

To use PayPal M-Pesa, you'll need to follow a few simple steps. First, visit the PayPal-Mpesa website and log in using your credentials.

The process starts by clicking the "Top Up" button on the page, which is where you'll enter your desired top-up amount in USD. You'll then click "Calculate" to get the amount converted to KES.

The exchange rate used for conversion will be displayed on the page. You'll need to note this down, as you'll be transferring the equivalent amount from your M-Pesa.

To initiate the transfer, go to the M-Pesa menu and select Lipa na M-Pesa, followed by the Pay Bill option. You'll then enter 800088 as the Business Number.

The next step is to enter the email address connected to your PayPal as the Account Number. After that, simply enter your M-Pesa PIN to confirm the transaction, and hit send.

Once you've completed these steps, your PayPal account will reflect the amount within a few minutes; sometimes, it may take up to 4 hours.

To withdraw money from PayPal to M-Pesa in Kenya, you'll need to link your PayPal and M-Pesa accounts. This allows you to withdraw funds from your PayPal balance to your M-Pesa account.

You can only withdraw from your USD balance, so make sure to convert your balance to USD before withdrawing. This can be done directly on the PayPal website.

The withdrawal process typically takes a few minutes to a few days, depending on the amount withdrawn. For amounts above $700, it may take three days to arrive at your M-Pesa account.

PayPal charges a 3% conversion fee for the amount to be withdrawn. Be aware of the maximum and minimum withdrawal limits when initiating a withdrawal.

To withdraw money from PayPal to M-Pesa in Kenya, you need to link your PayPal and M-Pesa accounts first. This is a straightforward process that can be completed in a few minutes.

You can only withdraw from your USD balance, so before you withdraw, log into your PayPal Kenya account to convert your balance to USD. This is a requirement to avoid any issues with the withdrawal process.

The maximum amount you can withdraw from PayPal to M-Pesa is not explicitly stated, but it's worth noting that M-Pesa accounts can only hold up to Ksh. 300,000. You'll need to keep this in mind when making the withdrawal.

You can initiate a withdrawal by logging into the PayPal-Mpesa website, clicking on "Get Started" and then "Withdraw from PayPal." Your available PayPal balance will be displayed, and you can only withdraw money up to your available balance amount.

The withdrawal process involves converting your balance to USD, entering the amount you want to withdraw, and confirming your details. You'll receive a confirmation email from PayPal and an SMS from M-Pesa, indicating the successful transfer.

PayPal charges a 3% conversion fee for the amount to be withdrawn, and withdrawals are processed in 2 hours to 3 calendar days. Smaller transfers may be fulfilled in less than 5 minutes, while larger transactions may take longer.

Here's a summary of the steps to follow:

Account topping is a convenient way to fund your PayPal account using your M-Pesa balance.

You can top up your PayPal account from your M-Pesa balance by visiting the PayPal-Mpesa website and logging in using your credentials.

To initiate a top-up, click the “Top Up” button on the page, enter your desired top-up amount in USD, and click “Calculate” to get the amount converted to KES.

The exchange rate used for conversion is displayed on the page.

The top-up fee is 4% of the transaction, and the estimated processing time varies depending on the time and day of the transaction.

For example, if you top up KES 10,000 to PayPal, you'll pay a KES 400 fee and receive KES 9,600 in your PayPal account.

If you top up on a weekday during working hours, you can expect to receive funds within the estimated processing time, which is around 2 hours.

However, if you top up on a weekend or public holiday, you may receive funds on the next working day.

Here's a summary of the top-up process:

The PayPal to M-Pesa withdrawal service has its own set of issues you should be aware of.

One of the main issues is the lack of accessibility, but thankfully, the PayPal to M-Pesa service has helped many businesses in Kenya solve the problem of withdrawal of funds.

Before using the PayPal to M-Pesa service, it's essential to be aware of the fees involved. The PayPal to M-Pesa withdrawal service can be a convenient option for businesses, but it's not entirely free.

If you're looking to transfer money from PayPal to your M-Pesa account, it's essential to be aware of the transfer limits. You can only deposit or withdraw up to Kes.150,000 on a single transaction.

The daily limit for loading your PayPal using M-Pesa is Kes.300,000. If you're a big business, you may need to look elsewhere for transactions above these limits.

To make a withdrawal, you'll need to enter the amount you want to withdraw from PayPal to your M-Pesa account, keeping in mind the maximum and minimum withdrawal limits.

PayPal charges a 3% conversion fee for the amount to be withdrawn. This fee is a standard charge for converting currencies.

Here's a quick summary of the transfer limits:

Before using the PayPal to M-Pesa service, it's essential to be aware of some common issues that may arise.

The PayPal to M-Pesa withdrawal service has helped many businesses in Kenya solve the problem of withdrawal of funds. However, there are a few issues you have to be aware of.

One issue to watch out for is that you can only withdraw from your USD balance. If you have a balance in a different currency, you'll need to convert it to USD first.

This can be frustrating, especially if you're not expecting it. But it's a good idea to log into your PayPal Kenya account and convert your balance to USD before attempting a withdrawal.

Another issue to be aware of is that there may be limitations on the amount you can withdraw. It's a good idea to check the PayPal to M-Pesa service terms and conditions to see what the limits are.

Here are some common issues you may encounter when using the PayPal to M-Pesa service:

By being aware of these common issues, you can avoid potential problems and ensure a smooth withdrawal process.

Held Payments can be a frustrating experience, especially for new PayPal users. This happens when the first payment you receive is held for some days to ensure the sender doesn't dispute it.

The money is placed in escrow, which means it's held in custody until the condition is met or the money is cleared for use. PayPal uses a risk-based algorithm to determine whether to hold a payment, with higher risk transactions being held longer.

If you're held up with a payment, the amount will be held in your account until the sender confirms the transaction from their end. This can be a hassle, but it's a security measure to protect both parties.

If you're looking for an alternative to PayPal, you might want to consider the following issues: hefty service fees, limitations to unstable terms of use, card rejection issues, and inability to complete certain transactions.

Here are some common issues with PayPal's payment holding system: