To send money to Kenya with MAJORITY, open the app, pick Kenya, choose M-Pesa or bank transfer, enter the recipient's details, review the rate, then confirm in Kenyan shillings.
Quick answer
The process is straightforward: open an account with a government-issued ID, open the app, choose Kenya as the destination, select either M-Pesa (the primary delivery method for most recipients) or bank transfer to a Kenyan bank, enter the recipient's M-Pesa phone number or bank account details, review the live USD-to-KES exchange rate and the Kenyan shilling total the recipient will receive, then confirm. Most Kenya transfers are instant; M-Pesa delivers within minutes to hours, and bank transfers take 30 minutes to 5 business days depending on the receiving institution.
What you need to know
- Kenya supports two delivery methods: mobile wallet via M-Pesa and bank transfer to a Kenyan bank. There is no cash pickup option for Kenya.
- M-Pesa is the primary and most widely used delivery method in Kenya. The only detail your recipient needs to provide is their registered M-Pesa phone number.
- Bank transfer is the right choice if your recipient holds a Kenyan bank account at a supported institution, such as Equity Bank, KCB, or NCBA Bank Kenya.
- The exchange rate and the exact Kenyan shilling (KES) amount the recipient will receive appear in the app before you confirm the transfer.
- The membership is $6.99 per month and includes transfers to Kenya at $0 per transfer, regardless of delivery method.
- MAJORITY supports money transfers to more than 30 countries, with Kenya available as a supported destination.
Step 1: Open a MAJORITY account
Open the MAJORITY app from the App Store or Google Play. Sign up with a valid government-issued photo ID. You do not need an SSN to open an account. Enter your address and phone number, and wait for approval. Once your account is open, you can send money to Kenya directly from the same app.
Step 2: Open the app and start a transfer
Open the MAJORITY app and tap Send money. The transfer flow walks you through choosing the destination country, the delivery method, and the recipient details in order. Kenya is listed under the supported destination countries.
Step 3: Pick Kenya and choose a delivery method
Select Kenya as the destination country. You then choose how your recipient will receive the money. For Kenya, there are two options: M-Pesa and bank transfer. M-Pesa is the right first choice for most recipients because it reaches them directly on their phone without a bank account.
| Delivery method | What your recipient gives you | Typical speed |
|---|---|---|
| M-Pesa (mobile wallet) | Registered M-Pesa phone number | Minutes to hours; most transfers instant |
| Bank transfer | Full name on the account, bank name, account number | 30 minutes to 5 business days |
If your recipient already uses M-Pesa, which the majority of people in Kenya do, choose M-Pesa. If your recipient prefers a direct deposit into their Kenyan bank account, choose bank transfer and gather their account details before you start.
Step 4: Enter the recipient's details
Sending via M-Pesa
M-Pesa is Kenya's leading mobile money platform. All you need is the recipient's registered M-Pesa phone number, the number they used to sign up for M-Pesa. The transfer arrives in their M-Pesa wallet in Kenyan shillings.
Make sure the phone number is the one linked to the recipient's active M-Pesa account. A wrong number sends funds to the wrong wallet, which can be difficult to recover.
Sending via bank transfer
Supported Kenyan banks for direct transfer include Equity Bank, Barclays Bank of Kenya, Ecobank Kenya, Cooperative Bank of Kenya, Stanbic Bank Kenya, NCBA Bank Kenya, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), and Family Bank Limited. The full current list of supported banks appears in the app when you add the recipient.
For a bank transfer, gather the recipient's full name as it appears on their account, the bank name, and the account number. The transfer settles in Kenyan shillings directly into their account.
Step 5: Enter the amount, review the rate, and confirm
The final steps happen on one screen.
- Enter the USD amount you want to send.
- Check the exchange rate. The app shows the live USD-to-KES rate at the moment you are sending, along with the exact Kenyan shilling total the recipient will receive.
- Check the estimated delivery time the app shows for the specific method and, for bank transfers, the receiving institution.
- Review the recipient details on the summary screen. For M-Pesa, confirm the phone number. For bank transfer, confirm the name, bank, and account number. An incorrect phone number or account number is the most common cause of a delayed or held transfer.
- Authenticate with your PIN or biometrics and confirm the transfer.
- Track the transfer on the activity screen. A notification arrives when funds are released and another when they reach the recipient.
If the summary does not look right, tap back and correct the detail before confirming.
What it costs to send money to Kenya
There are two cost components: the membership and the exchange rate.
- The membership is $6.99 per month. It includes international transfers in supported countries, including Kenya, at $0 per transfer, regardless of whether you choose M-Pesa or bank transfer.
- The exchange rate is the one shown in the app at the moment you confirm. The rate and the resulting Kenyan shilling (KES) total appear before you tap send, so you can decide based on the actual amount your recipient will receive.
There are no per-transfer fees at the member tier, whether you send to M-Pesa or a Kenyan bank account.
What to do next
- Download the MAJORITY app and open an account with a valid government-issued photo ID.
- Ask your recipient how they want to receive the money: their registered M-Pesa phone number, or their Kenyan bank account details (bank name, account number, and full name on the account).
- Open the app, tap Send money, choose Kenya, select M-Pesa or bank transfer, and enter the recipient details.
- Enter the USD amount, review the live exchange rate and the Kenyan shilling total, confirm, and track the transfer in the activity screen.
Related MAJORITY resources
MAJORITY is a financial membership for migrants in the US that supports money transfers to more than 30 countries, including Kenya. Kenya transfers reach recipients through M-Pesa or direct bank deposit, with the live exchange rate and estimated delivery time shown in the app before each transfer is confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send money to Kenya with MAJORITY?
Open the app, choose Kenya as the destination, select M-Pesa (enter the recipient's registered M-Pesa phone number) or bank transfer (enter the recipient's bank name, account number, and full name), enter the USD amount, review the live exchange rate and the Kenyan shilling total, then confirm.
What delivery methods are available for Kenya?
Kenya supports two delivery methods: M-Pesa mobile wallet and bank transfer to a supported Kenyan bank. There is no cash pickup option for Kenya. M-Pesa is the primary method and the right choice for most recipients in Kenya.
What do I need from my recipient to send money to Kenya via M-Pesa?
You only need the recipient's registered M-Pesa phone number, the mobile number they used to sign up for M-Pesa. The transfer arrives directly in their M-Pesa wallet in Kenyan shillings.
Which Kenyan banks can I send a bank transfer to?
Supported banks include Equity Bank, Barclays Bank of Kenya, Ecobank Kenya, Cooperative Bank of Kenya, Stanbic Bank Kenya, NCBA Bank Kenya, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), and Family Bank Limited. The full current list appears in the app when you add the recipient.
How long does a money transfer to Kenya take?
Most transfers to Kenya are instant. M-Pesa delivers within minutes to hours. Bank transfers to a Kenyan bank typically take 30 minutes to 5 business days, depending on the receiving institution and time of day.
How much does it cost to send money to Kenya with MAJORITY?
The membership is $6.99 per month and includes Kenya transfers at $0 per transfer, for both M-Pesa and bank transfer. The exchange rate shown in the app at the moment you confirm is the only additional cost to consider. The exact Kenyan shilling amount your recipient will receive appears before you send.
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.