How to send money from the UK to Kenya: M-Pesa, bank and stablecoin options
A practical guide for businesses paying recipients in Kenya, from M-Pesa wallets and PesaLink bank transfers to USDC-funded payouts.
Kenya runs on mobile money
M-Pesa, launched by Safaricom in 2007, is the default way most Kenyans pay and get paid. For a business sending from the UK, delivering straight to an M-Pesa wallet usually means the recipient can use the funds immediately, without visiting a bank.
Your three main options
- →M-Pesa wallet: paid to a phone number in KES, usually.
- →Bank account via PesaLink: real-time transfers between Kenyan banks, useful for suppliers and payroll.
- →Paybill and Till numbers: pay businesses that collect through M-Pesa.
What to check before you send
Confirm the recipient's registered name matches the phone number, agree whether the sender or the recipient pays the fee, and lock the GBP to KES rate before you confirm. With ElementPay the rate and fee are shown upfront and the KES amount is fixed once you approve.
Funding with stablecoins
Teams that hold USDC or USDT can fund Kenyan payouts directly. ElementPay converts the stablecoin to KES and delivers to M-Pesa or a bank account, so treasury does not need to move funds through a correspondent bank first.
How long it takes
A traditional SWIFT wire from London to Nairobi can take two to five business days and may pass through intermediary banks that deduct fees. Mobile money payouts on local rails typically settle, including at weekends.
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