You can now buy goods and services globally using M-PESA GlobalPay Virtual VISA Card. The payments service is a Partnership between M-PESA and VISA.
The virtual card is linked to user’s M-PESA wallet and enables them to make payments to international online merchants for goods and services using the card details.
The MPesa GlobalPay virtual VISA card will only be used to facilitate payments on global websites such as Amazon and Netflix. Local sites including Jumia will use the buy goods option.
Users will not be charged to make payments for online purchases however prevailing forex rates apply i.e. Transaction cost is zero.
Safaricom however applies a Forex Exchange markup of 3.5% on the prevailing forex rate to exchange from billing currency (Ksh) to the currency at the time of purchase i.e. (USD,GBP etc.)
For a transaction initiated by a local merchant, the M-PESA Customer will receive an appropriate message on the checkout option.
How To Activate Your Virtual M-Pesa Visa Card
To get a virtual GlobalPay card, follow these simple steps.
- Install the MPESA app from Play Store or App Store.
- Open the app and go to the “Grow” tab
- Click “GlobalPay” and Opt-in.
- You will receive an SMS from ‘Globalpay’ notifying you about the successful opt-in.
- Next, customize your card color and image
- Finally, create the Card.
- You will receive an SMS with your card number and its expiry date. Keep these safe.
- From the app you will be able to see card number details and the dynamic CVV.
Should you not want to use the app, you can access this service via USSD when you dial *344# and access Lipa na M-Pesa, Global Pay option.
How To Access Virtual M-Pesa Visa Card Via USSD
On M-PESA USSD (*334#):
- Dial *334#
- Select Lipa na M-PESA (Option 6)
- Select M-PESA GlobalPay (Option 5)
It completely takes out the need to have a bank account to have a card, and therefore make global payments.
