Safaricom and PayPal Deepen Partnership to Bridge Mobile Money and Global e-Commerce

Safaricom and PayPal have announced an enhanced partnership aimed at streamlining money transfers between M-PESA and PayPal, enabling millions of Kenyans to better access global e-commerce and digital services.

The collaboration, first launched in 2018, allows users to seamlessly move funds between their M-PESA wallets and PayPal accounts – enabling local freelancers, SMEs, and online shoppers to participate in the global digital economy more easily.

With this latest update, the two companies aim to simplify onboarding and improve transaction flows, making it faster and more convenient for Kenyan users to send and receive cross-border payments.

Key benefits of the integration include:

  • Faster Withdrawals and Top-Ups: Users can move funds between PayPal and M-PESA in just a few steps.
  • Improved Access to Global Markets: Kenyan entrepreneurs, creatives, and gig workers can now more easily get paid by international clients.
  • Financial Inclusion: The integration bridges the gap between mobile money and global digital finance, expanding access to underserved users.

Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, said the partnership aligns with the company’s mission to “transform lives by connecting customers to opportunities.”

The move is particularly significant in a country where mobile money plays a dominant role in financial services. By linking M-PESA to one of the world’s largest online payment systems, this collaboration strengthens Kenya’s position in the global digital economy.

Expanding Merchant Access to Global Crypto Markets

As detailed by BitKE, PayPal recently rolled out its “Pay with Crypto” platform, opening the door for U.S. merchants to accept payments in over 100 cryptocurrencies – including Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, XRP, BNB, Solana, and USDC – via major wallets like Coinbase, MetaMask, Binance, Kraken, and Phantom.

Once customers pay in crypto, funds are instantly converted to PayPal’s U.S. dollar–backed stablecoin, PYUSD, which earns 4% annually. The introductory transaction fee is just 0.99%, increasing to 1.5% after the first year – offering up to 90% cost savings over traditional international card fees.

The PYUSD stablecoin by PayPal is yet another significant aspect of the company in light of this enhanced partnership.

Launched in August 2023, PYUSD is issued by Paxos Trust as an ERC‑20 token on Ethereum and on Solana (SPL), fully backed by U.S. dollar deposits, Treasury bills, and cash equivalents – with monthly audit attestations.

By mid‑2025, PYUSD’s market cap surpassed $1 billion, doubling since the start of the year [2025]. Its use spans PayPal’s native platforms and integrations into third-party wallets and Web3 applications – boosting both consumer and merchant adoption.

What This Means for Kenyan Users

Stay tuned to BitKE for deeper insights into the African crypto and stablecoin space.

Join our WhatsApp channel here.

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