On Wednesday, Safaricom launched a new feature on its M-PESA super app, enabling users to withdraw funds directly from PayPal accounts into their M-PESA wallets.
This upgrade targets the growing community of Kenyan freelancers and remote workers who rely heavily on PayPal for international payments.
How the new PayPal withdrawal works on M-PESA
The updated M-PESA app now houses a “PayPal” option under its Finance or Global Services menu, allowing users to log in, link accounts, and transfer funds without leaving the app. Before this, Kenyans had to use slow, separate web portals, which resulted in delays of up to several days. Thanks to this integration, transfers typically clear within minutes to a few hours, streamlining the process for thousands of digital workers.
To withdraw, users open the app, select PayPal withdraw, enter the amount, and confirm after reviewing fees and exchange rates. The backend, powered by Thunes, ensures compliance and data security during transactions, reducing fraud risks. Safaricom warns to use only the official app to avoid scams.
Supporting Kenya’s freelance economy
Kenya’s freelance economy has seen a boom, with over 1.5 million workers earning in dollars, pounds, and euros through platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and direct client contracts. Many of these workers rely on PayPal to receive international payments.
Introducing direct PayPal withdrawals reflects Safaricom’s strategy to deepen M-PESA’s role as the preferred payment platform. Safaricom’s mobile money revenue grew 15.2per cent year-on-year to around $1.25 billion in the financial year ending March 2025, mainly driven by increased transaction volumes and active users.
This move comes as the gig economy flourishes, with online workers—writers, developers, and designers—earning anywhere from KES 1,000 to KES 10,000 per task. The new feature saves time and improves convenience for users who previously struggled with slow and cumbersome PayPal to M-PESA transfers.
Kenyan freelancers now have faster, app-native access to their earnings, reinforcing M-PESA’s prominence as a versatile financial tool for digital income. The seamless PayPal integration eliminates multiple logins and browser redirects, significantly enhancing user experience.
