Safaricom has announced that its mobile money platform, M‑PESA, has officially surpassed 40 million monthly active users in Kenya, marking one of the most significant milestones in the service’s 19‑year history.
Launched on 6 March 2007, M‑PESA began as a simple peer‑to‑peer money transfer tool designed to help Kenyans send and receive funds securely. Over nearly two decades, it has evolved into a full‑scale digital financial ecosystem, powering savings, credit, payments, international remittances, business operations, e‑commerce, investment services, and more.
Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom PLC, described the achievement as a reflection of M‑PESA’s deep integration into Kenyan society.
Reaching 40 million monthly active customers in Kenya is a milestone we celebrate as we recommit to enabling every Kenyan to transact safely, grow their savings, and build their wealth. To us, every M‑PESA transaction tells a story of someone building their future.
Safaricom attributes the accelerated growth partly to its Fintech 2.0 strategy, which aims to broaden M‑PESA beyond payments and into a platform that powers holistic digital financial experiences for individuals and businesses.
Strengthening Technology, Security, and Business Adoption
Over the past year, Safaricom has made substantial investments in technology infrastructure and fraud‑prevention systems, boosting M‑PESA’s reliability and safeguarding customers against increasingly sophisticated financial threats.
Additionally, business-focused solutions such as:
- Lipa na M‑PESA – the country’s dominant merchant payment service,
- Pochi la Biashara – designed for micro‑entrepreneurs and small traders, and
- Global Pay – supporting international virtual card payments, have been key drivers in the continued digitization of Kenya’s retail and enterprise economy.
These tools have enabled millions of merchants and SMEs to operate with greater efficiency while expanding the digital finance footprint across both urban and rural communities.
Daraja 3.0: A New Era of Platform Innovation
In November 2025, Safaricom introduced Daraja 3.0, a major overhaul of the M‑PESA API platform and a foundational pillar of the Fintech 2.0 vision. This upgrade signaled a move from pure payment enablement to a more expansive financial services platform built around embedded finance and the M‑PESA Super App.
Earlier versions, Daraja 1.0 and 2.0, focused primarily on enabling businesses to collect and disburse payments seamlessly. Daraja 3.0, however, ushers in what Safaricom calls the “Super App era.”
One of its most transformative features is the introduction of Mini Apps: lightweight applications built by third-party developers that operate directly inside the M‑PESA Super App.
These Mini Apps allow businesses to plug into M‑PESA’s extensive ecosystem, instantly reaching its huge active user base, without needing customers to download separate standalone applications. This effectively positions M‑PESA as a financial and digital services hub, capable of hosting everything from e‑commerce and ticketing to insurance, agriculture, and transport services.
Reinforcing M‑PESA’s Role in Kenya’s Financial Future
Ndegwa reaffirmed Safaricom’s commitment to ensuring that M‑PESA continues to empower users across all segments of society:
M‑PESA remains committed to ensuring that everyone has the confidence and tools to navigate life’s financial journey.
With 40 million active monthly users in Kenya alone, M‑PESA retains its position as one of the world’s most successful mobile money platforms, continuing to drive financial inclusion, innovation, and economic resilience across the region.
