Safaricom’s Tap to Pay Revolutionises M-PESA Transactions for Kenyan Merchants and Customers

Safaricom has introduced Tap to Pay, a new feature on the M-PESA Business App that allows customers to pay merchants by simply tapping their NFC-enabled phones, eliminating the need to enter till numbers manually.

How Tap to Pay Works

• Merchants enter the payment amount on their M-PESA Business App.
• The merchant’s phone displays a "Ready to Tap" prompt.
• Customers bring their NFC-enabled phone close to the merchant’s device.
• Transaction details appear on the customer’s phone for confirmation.
• The customer authorises payment by entering their M-PESA PIN.
• Both parties receive instant confirmation of the transaction.

This system removes the need for additional payment hardware as the merchant’s phone acts as the payment terminal, a significant advantage especially for small businesses.

Benefits for Customers and Merchants

• Customers avoid typing till numbers, reducing errors and speeding up payments.
• Merchants can accept contactless payments without investing in point-of-sale machines.
• Tap to Pay complements existing M-PESA payment options such as QR codes and till numbers.

However, customers must have an active Safaricom line registered on M-PESA, an NFC-enabled smartphone, and the My OneApp application to use the service. Merchants need to enable Tap to Pay on their devices.

Looking Ahead

While Tap to Pay won’t immediately replace all M-PESA payment methods, it promises to simplify everyday transactions by integrating contactless payments into Kenya’s vast mobile money ecosystem. As more merchants and customers adopt the technology, tapping phones at checkout could become as routine as entering till numbers today.