Why is M-Pesa not available right now on Swaps?

Our local partner for Kenya (Partna) asked us on 2026-05-07 to pause the KES corridor while they stabilize the rail. We will not show a quote we cannot actually settle — we will re-enable M-Pesa as soon as Partna confirms the corridor is back.

When will M-Pesa come back on Swaps?

No firm date yet. The pause is on Partna's side; we will announce on the Swaps blog as soon as the corridor is stable again.

Do I need a bank account to use M-Pesa?

No. M-Pesa works as a mobile wallet tied to your phone number. You just need an M-Pesa account with sufficient balance.

STK push is a payment prompt that appears on your phone automatically. You enter your M-Pesa PIN to authorize the transaction — no need to dial codes or navigate menus.

Buy Crypto with M-Pesa

M-Pesa is a mobile money rail used across Kenya and East Africa. Crypto via M-Pesa on Swaps is temporarily paused while our partner stabilizes the corridor.

What is M-Pesa?

M-Pesa is a mobile money platform widely used in Kenya, Tanzania, and other East African countries. Buying and selling crypto via M-Pesa on Swaps is **temporarily paused as of 2026-05-07** while our local partner Partna stabilizes the Kenya corridor. We will re-enable M-Pesa STK push payments as soon as the corridor is healthy again.

How to Buy Crypto with M-Pesa

M-Pesa flow on Swaps is currently disabled.
When it is back: enter the amount in KES and select your cryptocurrency on Swaps.
Choose "M-Pesa" as your payment method.
You will receive an STK push notification on your phone — enter your M-Pesa PIN to confirm.

M-Pesa — Pros

No bank account required — works with M-Pesa mobile wallet
Instant confirmation via STK push on your phone (when active)
Accessible to millions who use M-Pesa daily

M-Pesa — Cons

Currently paused on Swaps (2026-05-07) while Partna stabilizes the Kenya rail
Transaction limits depend on your M-Pesa account tier
Larger amounts trigger identity verification at the provider

M-Pesa Limits & Fees

Processing time	Currently unavailable (was: instant via STK push)
Limits	Currently unavailable
Fees	Currently unavailable (was: ~1-3% via Partna)
Regions	Kenya (paused) — Tanzania, Uganda planned via Partna roadmap
Currencies	KES (Kenyan Shilling) — currently paused on Swaps

Popular Cryptocurrencies

Other Payment Methods

Why use M-Pesa on Swaps

Swaps does not process payments itself — we route your M-Pesa transaction through licensed on-ramp providers (Paybis, Transak, Bridge by Stripe, Onramper, Mercuryo, OKX, Coinbase, and others) and rank their live quotes by total receive amount in your local currency. The best provider for M-Pesa depends on your country, the amount, and the coin you are buying, which is why every quote is re-evaluated in real time. The crypto goes directly to the wallet address you control; Swaps never custodies funds during the transaction.

What to expect

M-Pesa availability varies by provider and country. Some providers settle M-Pesa payments instantly, others may batch transfers depending on the rail. KYC requirements depend on the provider's compliance rules in your market — many corridors complete without verification at smaller amounts. Before you pay, Swaps applies a Tier-1 fiat-aware filter so M-Pesa routes that would be rejected by every available provider in your country never appear in the comparison. If a route is shown, it can complete; if it is hidden, the rail is not currently supported in your market.