Safaricom announced through its online handles that it was reducing the m-pesa transfer rates by 67%. That seems not to be the truth as it seems that Safaricom just did the opposite. The dominant operator has increased most of the rates (from Ksh 2500 transactions upwards) by a minimum of 67%.
While it it now cheaper to transfer cash below Ksh 1,500, it is becoming expensive to send any amount above Ksh 1,500.
Old rates
| Customer Charges | |||||||
| Transaction Range (Ksh) | Transaction Type and Customer Charge (Ksh) | ||||||
| Min | Max | Transfer to other M-PESA Users |
Transfer to Unregistered Users | Withdrawal from M-PESA Agent |
|||
| 10 | 49 | 3 | N/A | N/A | |||
| 50 | 100 | 5 | N/A | 10 | |||
| 101 | 500 | 27 | 66 | 27 | |||
| 501 | 1,000 | 33 | 66 | 27 | |||
| 1,001 | 1,500 | 33 | 66 | 27 | |||
| 1,501 | 2,500 | 33 | 66 | 27 | |||
| 2,501 | 3,500 | 33 | 88 | 49 | |||
| 3,501 | 5,000 | 33 | 105 | 66 | |||
| 5,001 | 7,500 | 55 | 143 | 82 | |||
| 7,501 | 10,000 | 55 | 171 | 110 | |||
| 10,001 | 15,000 | 55 | 220 | 159 | |||
| 15,001 | 20,000 | 55 | 237 | 176 | |||
| 20,001 | 25,000 | 82 | 275 | 187 | |||
| 25,001 | 30,000 | 82 | 275 | 187 | |||
| 30,001 | 35,000 | 82 | 275 | 187 | |||
| 35,001 | 40,000 | 82 | N/A | 275 | |||
| 40,001 | 45,000 | 82 | N/A | 275 | |||
| 45,001 | 50,000 | 110 | N/A | 275 | |||
| 50,001 | 70,000 | 110 | N/A | 330 | |||
| ATM Withdrawal | |||||||
| Transaction Range (Ksh) | |||||||
| Min | Max | Customer Charge | |||||
| 200 | 2,500 | 33 | |||||
| 2,501 | 5,000 | 66 | |||||
| 5001 | 10,000 | 110 | |||||
| 10,001 | 20,000 | 193 | |||||
New Rates
| Customer Charges | |||||||
| Transaction Range (Ksh) | Transaction Type and Customer Charge (Ksh) | ||||||
| Min | Max | Transfer to other M-PESA Users |
Transfer to Unregistered Users | Withdrawal from M-PESA Agent |
|||
| 10 | 49 | 1 | N/A | N/A | |||
| 50 | 100 | 3 | N/A | 10 | |||
| 101 | 500 | 11 | 66 | 27 | |||
| 501 | 1,000 | 15 | 66 | 27 | |||
| 1,001 | 1,500 | 25 | 66 | 27 | |||
| 1,501 | 2,500 | 40 | 66 | 27 | |||
| 2,501 | 3,500 | 55 | 88 | 49 | |||
| 3,501 | 5,000 | 60 | 105 | 66 | |||
| 5,001 | 7,500 | 75 | 143 | 82 | |||
| 7,501 | 10,000 | 85 | 171 | 110 | |||
| 10,001 | 15,000 | 95 | 220 | 159 | |||
| 15,001 | 20,000 | 100 | 237 | 176 | |||
| 20,001 | 25,000 | 110 | 275 | 187 | |||
| 25,001 | 30,000 | 110 | 275 | 187 | |||
| 30,001 | 35,000 | 110 | 275 | 187 | |||
| 35,001 | 40,000 | 110 | N/A | 275 | |||
| 40,001 | 45,000 | 110 | N/A | 275 | |||
| 45,001 | 50,000 | 110 | N/A | 275 | |||
| 50,001 | 70,000 | 110 | N/A | 330 | |||
| ATM Withdrawal | |||||||
| Transaction Range (Ksh) | |||||||
| Min | Max | Customer Charge | |||||
| 200 | 2,500 | 33 | |||||
| 2,501 | 5,000 | 66 | |||||
| 5001 | 10,000 | 110 | |||||
| 10,001 | 20,000 | 193 | |||||
The changes only affect person to person transfer and not ATM withdrawals, transfer to unregistered users and agent withdrawals. It is interesting how Safaricom sells REDUCTION of rates story while in actual sense, it is increasing the rates considering that most users now transact above Ksh 1,500 on average.
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