PesaLink Phone Transfers: How Kenyans Can Send Money Using a Mobile Number

Kenyans can use PesaLink to send money to a phone number linked to a bank account, giving customers another option for transferring funds without having to enter the recipient’s full bank account number.

The service is available through participating banks’ mobile apps, internet banking and USSD channels. PesaLink says its network connects financial institutions across Kenya and supports instant account-to-account transfers around the clock.

How sending money to a phone number works

A customer starts by opening their bank’s mobile application, internet-banking platform or USSD menu and selecting PesaLink. The customer then chooses the option to send money to a phone number and enters the recipient’s mobile number.

Before completing the transaction, the system displays the recipient’s name and other payment details for confirmation. This verification step is important because it gives the sender an opportunity to identify an incorrect number before authorising the payment.

Once the transfer is completed, the sender and recipient can receive transaction notifications through the relevant banking or PesaLink channel.

Using a phone number instead of an account number

Bank-account numbers can be long and difficult to remember. A phone number is often easier for customers to share and recognise, particularly when making a payment to someone they already know.

The option can also make bank-to-bank transfers more convenient for people who primarily use their phones for financial transactions.

For businesses, phone-based payment identifiers can simplify some supplier and customer payments, provided the business and its bank support the relevant PesaLink service.

PesaLink is not the same as a mobile-money wallet

PesaLink is a payment network operated by Integrated Payment Services Limited and owned by the Kenya Bankers Association. It is designed to facilitate transfers across participating financial institutions.

Mobile-money services and bank transfers can therefore coexist. A customer may choose a mobile wallet for one transaction and a bank-based PesaLink transfer for another depending on the recipient, amount, cost and purpose of the payment.

How much can you send?

PesaLink says customers can send up to KSh999,999 per transaction through the network. However, an individual bank may impose a lower customer limit for security or account-management reasons.

Customers should therefore check the limit applied by their own bank before attempting a large transfer.

Are PesaLink charges the same everywhere?

No. PesaLink states that transaction fees vary from bank to bank. Customers should confirm the applicable charge with their financial institution before completing a transfer.

This is important when comparing payment options. A convenient transaction method is not necessarily the cheapest for every amount, so customers should consider the total fee displayed before confirming.

Security checks customers should use

• Confirm the recipient’s name before approving the transfer.
• Check the amount carefully before entering your PIN or authorisation code.
• Never share your banking PIN or one-time authentication code.
• Keep the transaction confirmation until the payment has been verified.
• Contact your bank immediately if a transaction appears incorrect.

What the development means as digital payments grow

Kenya’s digital-payment ecosystem continues to expand. Central Bank of Kenya data shows 95.31 million registered mobile-money accounts and 563,605 active agents in August 2026, with agent cash-in and cash-out transactions worth KSh761.13 billion during the month.

That scale creates demand for payment systems that are convenient, interoperable and secure. Bank transfers that use familiar identifiers such as phone numbers can reduce friction between customers and financial institutions.

Points for businesses receiving transfers

Businesses receiving bank transfers should make sure staff can reconcile incoming payments correctly. Where customers use phone-number transfers, the business should have a clear process for matching payment confirmations to invoices or orders.

Businesses should also publish only official payment details and train staff never to request customers’ confidential banking credentials.

The practical takeaway

PesaLink’s phone-number option adds another route for moving money between participating financial institutions. The main benefit is convenience: customers can initiate a bank transfer using a mobile number while still receiving the verification and confirmation steps associated with the banking channel.

Before sending money, users should check the recipient’s name, transaction fee and applicable limit. Those simple steps can reduce mistakes and make digital payments safer.

Sources and verification

Daily Report KE independently prepared this guide using the official PesaLink user guide, the PesaLink FAQ and the Central Bank of Kenya mobile-payments statistics. No competing news website was quoted as a source.