Besides PayPal and Stripe, Payoneer (now available in about 190 countries) is another popular payment processor that many Kenyans rely on for their digital ventures.
Thus, having a convenient way to withdraw money from Payoneer to Mpesa account has become an essential need for freelancers, businesses, and individuals who conduct international transactions.
While Payoneer makes it super easy to transfer banks to the majority of local banks around the world, it isnβt great with mobile money. At least not here in Kenya.
Unlike Paypal which now has an automated Paypal to Mpesa service, Payoneer is yet to form strategic partnerships to make this an option in the continent.
Before you go ditching Payoneer, here is what you need to know:
- Payoneer offers the most competitive and frankly lowest fees for cross-border transactions
- Payoneer allows you to withdraw money directly to your local bank. The Global Payment Service allows users to receive local bank transfers as if they had a bank account in multiple different countries.
- Your payments usually clear within one business day (though it may take up to 3)
- Auto-transfers
Can you withdraw money from Payoneer to Mpesa?
![Payoneer to Mpesa: What You Need to Know 1 Can you withdraw money from Payoneer to Mpesa?](https://money.ke/wp-content/plugins/speedycache-pro/assets/images/image-palceholder.png)
Unfortunately no, you cannot officially and thus safelywithdraw money from your Payoneer account to your Mpesa account in 2024.
There may be other options such as working with local Payoneer to Mpesa dealers but this carries its own measure of risks.
So what now? Withdraw via bank. Most banks in Kenya work with Payoneer (National Bank, Equity, KCB,…).
It might take a day longer but this is the safest method for this platform. Alternatively, you can spend it via Payoneer Mastercard in your favorite stores or withdraw via ATM.
See the following sections on how to apply for your Payoneer card.
Now, if you really canβt wait for bank clearance, there might be another option, which is using a money transfer service like Wise, though you would be incurring double feesβ¦ Payoneer and Wise transactional fees.
What about ePay?
While researching this topic, I came across some articles recommending using your Payoneer Card to send money to another card. While this is a viable option, they suggested sending it to .
My quick research shows that the above domain is different from the official ePay domain, which is ePayServices.com.
If you want to try that method, be sure to contact ePay guys directly and ask if they offer such a service as there was nothing on their website that indicated that they do.
I will be updating this article, so be sure to clarify in the comments if this info is false.
Applying for Payoneer Mastercard
![Payoneer to Mpesa: What You Need to Know 2 Applying for Payoneer Mastercard](https://money.ke/wp-content/plugins/speedycache-pro/assets/images/image-palceholder.png)
If you frequently transact via Payoneer, itβs a good idea to get yourself their Mastercard.
Here are a few reasons why you need one:
- Global acceptance: Use it anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
- Lower fees: Often cheaper than traditional bank transfers for receiving international payments.
- Quick access: Faster access to earnings compared to bank withdrawals.
- Multi-currency: Allows you to hold multiple currencies.
- Direct payments: Can link to platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, Amazon, and others for seamless transactions.
The card application process
If you already have a working Payoneer account, applying for the card is typically easier.
Just note that you need to be eligible to apply. Eligibility usually revolves around having received a minimum of $100 in the last 6 months, and this shouldnβt be constituted of payments from other e-wallets such as PayPalor Skrill.
Here’s how to apply:
- Sign in to your account
- Navigate to Banks & Cards then Payoneer cards
- If eligible, you will see an option to Order a card.
- Choose the type of card you want (a virtual card or a physical one
- Choose your card currency from the four options β CAD, USD, EUR, and GBP.
- Then follow the instructions to complete the ordering
Once you receive your card, you will need to activate it. Here are the steps to do so:
- Go to your account
- Navigate to the Banks and Cards section
- Select the card you want to activate and click on Activate
- Then follow the instructions to finish activating your card.
Using your Payoneer card
Once activated your card you can use it just as you would your bank card, for things like online shopping, ATM withdrawals, in-store payments, receiving direct deposits, transferring money, etc.
You also enjoy account management services like checking balances, tracking spending, etc.
Payoneer transaction limits (Make a payment)
Description | Transaction limits |
---|---|
Minimum per payment | 50 USD/GBP/EUR |
Send Daily | 25K USD/GBP/EUR |
Receive daily | 25K USD/GBP/EUR |
Send Monthly | 50K USD/GBP/EUR |
Receive Monthly | 100K USD/GBP/EUR |