M-PESA GlobalPay

What is the M-PESA GlobalPay service?

This is a VISA virtual card that connects to the customer's M-PESA wallet. The M-PESA GlobalPay virtual card allows customers to pay international online merchants for products and services using their card credentials.

The card includes a 16-digit card number, the card's expiry date (mm/yy), and the security code, also known as CVV.

How can one access this service?

M-PESA registered customer can join the GlobalPay service via M-PESA App or USSD *334#

On M-PESA APP:

▪ Log in to your M-PESA APP.

▪ Select the Grow Tab.

▪ Select the GlobalPay tab, to activate your M-PESA GlobalPay.

▪ Select your card color.

▪ Enter PIN.

▪ You will receive an SMS with the card number and expiry.

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

▪ Dial *334#

▪ Select Lipa na M-PESA (Option 6).

▪ Select M-PESA GlobalPay (Option 5).

Will the customer be issued with a physical card?

No. This is a virtual card that will be accessed through the M-PESA App or USSD *334#.

Will the customer need an M-PESA account to get an M-PESA Virtual Card?

To open an M-PESA Virtual Card, one must first register for an M-PESA account.

How many times may a customer apply for an M-PESA Virtual Card?

After activating the first Card Credentials, you can only apply for up to four (4) new Card Credentials in a single year.

What happens if a card expires?

When the card expires, the cardholder can renew it using the M-PESA App or by using the USSD code *334#.

The M-PESA statement on the renewed card account will continue to provide past transaction details.

Will the cardholder lose their M-PESA account if the Virtual Card is cancelled?

No, the M-PESA account will continue. However, the user will not be able to use the Virtual Card service until it is activated using the M-PESA App or USSD.

Can the cancelled M-PESA Virtual Card be reactivated?

Cancelled cards cannot be renewed. However, once the current Virtual Card has been terminated, one can apply for a new one. This is limited to a maximum of four (4) new Card Credentials within one (1) year from activating the first card credentials.

What can be done to prevent a virtual card from being cancelled.

To avoid Card cancellation due to inactivity, make sure to use it at least once every 3 months to complete any successful transaction.

What can be done to prevent a virtual card from being cancelled.

To avoid Card cancellation due to inactivity, make sure to use it at least once every 3 months to complete any successful transaction.

Can the M-PESA GlobalPay Visa virtual card be used to pay for purchases on any online merchant website?

No. Payment can only be made to international online merchants that accept VISA cards such as Netflix, Amazon, AliExpress, etc. For a transaction initiated to a local online merchant e.g., Jumia, the M-PESA Customer will receive an appropriate message on the checkout option advising them to use the Lipa na M-PESA option.

Can the Private Card Details, Expiry Date and CVV be shared with third parties?

No. These are confidential numbers that should not be shared with anyone, including Safaricom employees. Card details should not be disclosed to third parties since they could result in unauthorized or fraudulent transactions.

Does deactivating repetitive payments cancel subscriptions?

No. Disabling the repeat payments feature does not cancel subscriptions. Customers must visit the merchant site where they have put their card to cancel the services or remove their cards to avoid charging by the website.

What happens if there is a disagreement on a payment made?

This happens when the cardholder is unable to reach an equitable solution with the participating retailer. All disputes must first be addressed with the Merchant in accordance with their respective dispute and refund policies.

Customers can raise a dispute by using the M-PESA App, contacting Safaricom Customer Care, visiting our retail outlets, or accessing the dispute resolution form on the Safaricom website.
Upon receipt of a completed dispute form, we will contact Visa for settlement. The projected timelines for resolving a dispute vary on the case, as decided by Safaricom and Visa.
Safaricom will handle disputes involving transaction authorization errors within 72 hours. However, if the dispute is between the cardholder and a participating retailer, the maximum settlement time is forty-five working days. Start a dispute process.

How many cards is a customer eligible for?

M-PESA customers are only eligible for one card per ID. The service will only be available through the user's registered mobile phone. To convert to a new mobile number, the consumer must first deactivate the card and opt out of service before reactivating.

What is the minimum/maximum that can be paid using M-PESA GlobalPay?

M-PESA customer M-PESA limits will apply, ranging from KSh 1 to KSh 250,000 per transaction, with a maximum limit of KSh 500,000. The minimum amount will vary depending on the current USD-KES exchange. (Note: The minimum amount is dynamic and equal to $1 to facilitate settlement procedures.)

What are the charges for the service?

Safaricom will charge a 3.5% markup on the transaction value at the current FX rate for international payments. This will be dependent on the billing currency's (KSh) exchange rate to the currency used at the time of purchase, such as USD, GBP, etc. There will be no additional charges, such as the M-PESA transaction cost.

In case of reversal, will the customer be refunded the full amount paid?

No. In the event of a reversal, the total amount returned to the consumer does not include the 3.5% forex markup fee.

Does my GlobalPay Card have an expiration date?

The Card expires after three years. One will be alerted at least four times before the card expires, at the following intervals: - One month, seven days, three days, and one day to expiration.

Will the card become dormant if it is not used?

Yes. A card will become dormant if it is not used for six months. However, one can activate immediately through the M-PESA App or USSD.

Are there any exceptions?

Some merchant categories are restricted on M-PESA GlobalPay Virtual Visa card, including gaming, gambling, money transfer services, and cryptocurrency.

Can the M-PESA GlobalPay Visa Virtual Card receive funds?

No, the card cannot receive funds and is only used to make online payments. It utilizes the funds in the customer’s M-PESA account.

Can customers use Fuliza on the card?

No. Fuliza will not be available for M-PESA GlobalPay Payments.

What is a CVV (Card Verification Value)?

This is a three-digit security number that appears on the card and is used for online payments to prevent fraudulent transactions. M-PESA GlobalPay CVV numbers are only valid for 30 minutes. Customers are encouraged to keep ALL of their card information private, including the CVV number.

Can one use an expired CVV Number?

No. Every time a payment is to be made, a CVV number will be generated, and it will be valid for only 30 minutes.

What is a flash SMS?

This is a form of SMS that appears on the phone's main screen rather than being automatically put in the message inbox. The M-PESA GlobalPay service uses Flash SMS communications to protect the VISA Credentials..

What is Set Budget functionality?

It is a service that allows users to track their expenses based on their selected budget and is strictly for informational purposes. The function does not prevent payments from being processed; instead, it warns the consumer as they approach and surpass their preferred set limit.

What constitutes a repeat payment?

A repeat payment occurs when a client approves or permits a business to automatically debit the cardholder's M-PESA wallet for recurrent purchases, such as NETFLIX subscriptions.

Will the cardholder be needed to enter an M-PESA PIN for repeat payments to be processed?

No. Once the card credentials are entered into a merchant website for any subscription services and the repeat payment functionality is enabled, the payments will not require the user to enter their M-PESA PIN in the following billing cycle. The funds will be automatically taken from your M-PESA account. Customers are urged to maintain their card number, validity period, and CVV details secret and private to prevent others from utilizing their card details for subscription services, since they will be deducted without their authorization.

What happens if there is a double deduction from your virtual card?

When duplicate deductions occur, the merchant normally refunds the amount within 72 HRS. However, if the customer does not receive a refund in M-PESA within 72 hours, they should contact the retailer directly using the link/email address provided on their website. If no support is received after 7 days, one can file a disagreement with Safaricom using the disagreement Form for additional assistance.

Who should a follow up be done with in case of a pending reversal?

Before filing a dispute, the customer is expected to comply with the merchant's cancellation and refund policy. All pending reversals should be followed up with the Merchant to which the payment was made. Please complete the escalation form that the merchant has supplied on their web platform. Please keep in mind that escalations made through merchants have a shorter SLA (Service Level Agreement) than those made through Safaricom, which can take up to 45 days, according to VISA standards.

What are the charges for this service?

Customers will not be charged to make payments for online purchases from global merchant sites. However, a 3.5% forex markup applies to the billing currency's current forex rate at the time of purchase.

What is the cost estimator feature?

This is a feature that shows the customer an estimate of the total cost. The actual cost is influenced by the dynamic fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

How-to on USSD and M-PESA App?

A. Activate the M-PESA GlobalPay Service

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA
Select M-PESA GlobalPay
Accept terms and conditions
Enter M-PESA PIN
You will receive a 16-digit number in a flash This is your M-PESA GlobalPay Visa credential (PAN)
You will also receive the validity period of the card in a separate flash (Expiry)

On M-PESA App:

Log in to your M-PESA
Select the Grow
Select the GlobalPay tab, to activate your M-PESA
Select your card
Enter PIN
You will receive an SMS with the card number and expiry

B. View M-PESA GlobalPay details

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select View Card details
Enter M-PESA PIN
You will receive your card number and validity period for the card in 2 flash SMS messages

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From the Grow tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
Select show card
Enter M-PESA PIN
Your card details will be displayed on the screen in the Card (PAN, Expiry & CVV)

C. Generate CVV (USSD)

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Generate CVV
Enter M-PESA PIN
You will receive a 3-digit number in a flash
The CVV is only valid for 30 Ensure you are at the merchant site and ready to check out before generating the CVV.

On M-PESA App:

Log in to your M-PESA
For the Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
Select show card
Enter M-PESA PIN
Your card details will be displayed on the screen in the Card (PAN, Expiry & CVV)

D. Suspend Card:

On M-PESA USSD (*334#)

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Manage Card
Select Suspend
Select the reason for suspension
Enter M-PESA PIN
You will receive a successful notification indicating suspension of the card

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
Select Grow Tab
select M-PESA GlobalPay
Select Suspend
Provide reason for suspending
Enter M-PESA
Receive message of successful card

E.Unsuspend Card

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select MM-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Manage Card
Select Unsuspend
Enter M-PESA PIN
You will receive a successful notification indicating unsuspension of the card from M-PESA GlobalPay

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
Select your Unsuspend Card.
Enter M-PESA
You will receive a notification indicating successful unsuspension of the card from M-PESA GlobalPay

F. Cancel card

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Manage Card
Select Cancel
Enter M-PESA PIN
You will receive a successful notification indicating the card has been successfully cancelled

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
Select the 3 dots right above your GlobalPay
Select Cancel
Enter M-PESA
You will receive a notification indicating successful card

G.Mini-statement

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select My M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Mini statement
Enter M-PESA PIN

You will receive an SMS notification with the last 5 transactions done on the

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From the Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
All your recent transactions are visible on the Homepage

H. Enabling Repeat Payments

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Repeat Payments
Accept terms and conditions
Enter M-PESA PIN
You will receive an SMS notification with a confirmation on enabling recurring payments

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From the Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
Select Enable Repeat Payments (just beneath your GlobalPay card).
Select Enable.
Enter M-PESA

You will receive a notification confirming successful enablement of Repeat

I. Disabling Repeat Payments

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Repeat Payments
Select Disable
Enter M-PESA PIN

You will receive an SMS notification with a confirmation on disabling recurring payments

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From the Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
Select Disable repeat
Enter M-PESA

You will receive an SMS notification with a confirmation of repeat payments.

J. Manage Card – Monthly Budget

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select manage Card
Select ‘Monthly Budget’
Enter amount
Enter M-PESA PIN

Message Received – Dear customer, you have successfully enabled spend limit controls with a threshold of Kes. XXXX for the M-PESA GlobalPay service. You will receive a notification once you reach the limit

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From the Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
Under the Spending tools option, select Set Budget.
Enter your monthly budget amount and select Set Budget
Enter M-PESA PIN
You will receive a notification on the screen - Monthly budget successfully

On the M-PESA GlobalPay page, you will be able to view the amount used so far, from your set monthly budget.

K. Check Monthly Budget Usage Status.

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select Lipa na M-PESA.
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Manage Card
Select Monthly Budget
Select check Usage Status.
Enter M-PESA

Message Received – Dear customer, your usage as at DD/MM/YYY is Ksh XX, XXXX. Your current limit is Ksh XX, XXX.

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From the Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
On the M-PESA GlobalPay page, you will be able to view the amount used so far, from your set monthly budget

L. Opt Out

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Opt Out
You will receive a notification showing successful opt out

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From the Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
Select M-PESA GlobalPay
Enter PIN
Select the 3 dots just above your
Select Opt out and
Enter PIN
You will receive an SMS notification with of successful opt out

M. Raise a Dispute

On M-PESA USSD (*334#):

Dial *334#
Select M-PESA GlobalPay option
Select Raise a Dispute
You will be redirected to a Webpage where you will fill out a Dispute Form. Once submitted, you will be contacted by a customer support agent within 24 hrs to commence the dispute resolution process.

ON M-PESA APP:

Log in to your M-PESA
From the Grow Tab select M-PESA GlobalPay
Select the 3 dots just above your
Select Raise a Dispute option and fill the required details. Once submitted, you will be contacted by a customer support agent within 24hrs to commence the dispute resolution process.

How does one seek assistance?

For any inquiries,

Dial 100 for prepaid subscribers and 200 for postpaid customers.
Visit our Safaricom shops.
Follow us on social media: @Safaricom_Care, @SafaricomPLC, and www.facebook.com/SafaricomPLC.