To send money to Ethiopia with MAJORITY, open the app, select Ethiopia, enter the phone number registered to your recipient's Telebirr account, review the exchange rate and the birr total, then confirm. Ethiopia transfers are delivered to a Telebirr mobile wallet. There is no bank transfer or cash pickup option on this destination.
What you need to know
| What you need | Detail |
|---|---|
| A MAJORITY account | Opened with a government-issued ID |
| Your recipient's wallet | An active Telebirr account in their own name |
| Their phone number | The number registered to that Telebirr account |
| What they receive | Ethiopian birr (ETB) |
| Delivery method | Mobile wallet only. No bank transfer, no cash pickup |
Before you start: what to gather
One message to your recipient saves a held transfer later. Ask them for the phone number registered to their Telebirr account, and confirm the account is in their own name and active.
Your recipient needs an active Telebirr account to receive the money. Telebirr is operated by Ethio Telecom and is the mobile wallet supported on this destination. If your recipient does not have one yet, they can register through the Telebirr app or an agent before you send.
Step 1: Open a MAJORITY account
You need a government-issued ID. A US Social Security number is not required. Once your account is open, money transfers are available in the app.
Step 2: Open the app and choose Ethiopia
Tap Send money and select Ethiopia as the destination. The app shows the mobile wallet option, which is the delivery method available on this destination.
Step 3: Enter your recipient's Telebirr number
Enter the phone number registered to your recipient's Telebirr account, and their name exactly as it appears on that account. A number your recipient uses for calls is not always the number attached to their wallet, so it is worth confirming rather than assuming.
Step 4: Enter the amount and review the exchange rate
Enter the amount in US dollars. The app converts it and shows our competitive exchange rate along with the exact ETB total your recipient will receive.
Step 5: Confirm and track
Review the summary screen. The ETB amount, the exchange rate, and the estimated delivery time are all shown before you confirm. After you confirm, you can follow the transfer status in the app.
If a detail looks wrong, tap back and correct it before confirming. A mismatch between the recipient name you entered and the name on the Telebirr account can hold the transfer until it is resolved.
What it costs to send money to Ethiopia
There is no MAJORITY transfer fee on Ethiopia transfers at the member tier.
The membership is $6.99 per month and includes money transfers to more than 30 countries in addition to the MAJORITY Visa® Debit Card, mobile top-ups, and international calling. The other cost component is the exchange rate applied when your US dollars are converted to birr, and both the rate and the ETB total appear in the app before you confirm.
What to do next
- Ask your recipient for the phone number registered to their Telebirr account.
- Confirm the account is active and in their own name, and check the spelling of their name.
- Open the app, select Ethiopia, and enter the amount you want to send.
- Review the ETB total, the exchange rate, and the estimated delivery time before you confirm.
Related MAJORITY resources
MAJORITY is a financial membership for migrants in the US that supports money transfers to more than 30 countries, including Ethiopia. Ethiopia transfers go directly to your recipient's Telebirr mobile wallet, with the exchange rate and estimated delivery time shown in the app before each transfer is confirmed.
How to send money to Ethiopia on WhatsApp
The send happens in a conversation rather than on a screen. You open the chat, say how much you want to send, and enter the phone number registered to your recipient's Telebirr account when the chat asks for it.
The name you enter has to match the name on that Telebirr account, and the number has to be the one registered to the wallet rather than any number your recipient uses. Both are worth confirming with them before you start, since a mismatch holds the transfer either way you send it.
Before anything is charged you see the birr amount your recipient will receive, the exchange rate, any fee, and the estimated delivery time. With a MAJORITY membership, you pay a $0 MAJORITY transfer fee. Without a paid monthly membership, sending on WhatsApp is $1.99 per transfer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send money to Ethiopia with MAJORITY?
Open the app, tap Send money, select Ethiopia, enter the phone number registered to your recipient's Telebirr account along with their name, enter the US dollar amount, then review the ETB total and confirm.
Which mobile wallets does MAJORITY support for Ethiopia transfers?
Telebirr. It is the mobile wallet supported on the Ethiopia destination, and your recipient needs an active account registered to their phone number.
What information do I need to send money to Ethiopia?
The phone number registered to your recipient's Telebirr account, and their name as it appears on that account. The name has to match, so confirm the spelling before you send.
How long does a transfer to Ethiopia take?
Delivery time varies. The app shows the estimated delivery time before you confirm.
How much does it cost to send money to Ethiopia?
There is no MAJORITY transfer fee on Ethiopia transfers at the member tier. The membership is $6.99 per month. Our competitive exchange rate and the ETB amount your recipient will receive are shown in the app before you confirm.
Does my recipient in Ethiopia need a bank account?
No. Ethiopia transfers are delivered to a Telebirr mobile wallet, so your recipient needs an active Telebirr account rather than a bank account.
Disclosures
The MAJORITY app facilitates banking services through Axiom Bank, N.A. (“Axiom”), Member FDIC. The funds deposited in the account held at Axiom, Member FDIC, are FDIC-insured on a pass-through basis up to $250,000 per depositor in the event Axiom fails and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. Non-deposit products or services such as money transfers and telecom services are not FDIC-insured.
MAJORITY Visa® Debit Card is issued by Axiom Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.