Safaricom and Pesapal have announced a partnership to roll out dynamic QR code payments and tap-to-pay services for M-Pesa at physical checkout points. The announcement was made on October 1, 2026, in Nairobi, positioning M-Pesa more deeply at merchant tills where card terminals have traditionally led contactless payments. Safaricom also aims to grow its scan-to-pay merchant network from more than 60,000 outlets to 500,000 within 12 months.
Strategic Collaboration
Safaricom's partnership with Pesapal combines M-Pesa payment innovation with Pesapal's point-of-sale infrastructure. Pesapal will enable Dynamic Scan-to-Pay and Tap-to-Pay through its POS devices, extending these payment experiences to physical points of sale. The collaboration reflects a broader effort to deliver faster, simpler, and more seamless payment experiences for businesses and customers across Kenya.
Dynamic Scan-to-Pay
Safaricom's existing Scan-to-Pay service allows customers to scan a static QR code linked directly to a merchant's M-Pesa Till Number. The new Dynamic Scan-to-Pay feature on Pesapal POS devices automatically fills in both the merchant details and the payment amount. This reduces errors from manual entry and makes it easier for customers to verify and complete their payment.
Tap-to-Pay Capabilities
With Tap-to-Pay, customers who have NFC-enabled smartphones can simply tap their device on a Pesapal POS terminal. They then confirm the transaction details and complete the payment. The feature brings M-Pesa directly into contactless physical payments, an area where traditional card terminals have been dominant, and supports Safaricom's goal of reimagining the checkout experience.
AI Pay on My OneApp
Safaricom is also introducing AI Pay as an addition to the M-Pesa payment experience on My OneApp, which has recorded more than 7 million downloads. Customers can scan any receipt, whether printed or handwritten, and AI Pay will automatically identify and populate Till or PayBill details and the payment amount where available. This feature reduces the need for manual entry and extends M-Pesa's convenience to a wider range of everyday transactions.
Leadership Comments
James Maitai, Group Chief Technology Officer at Safaricom PLC, said, "As the way Kenyans shop and transact continues to evolve, we are focused on ensuring that M-Pesa evolves with them." He added that this means moving beyond simply enabling payments to reimagining the payment experience itself. Agosta Liko, Founder of Pesapal, said the rollout represents the biggest leap in Kenya's checkout experience in years and delivers the faster, error-free transactions customers expect.
Expansion Targets
Scan-to-Pay is currently available at more than 60,000 merchant outlets, and Safaricom aims to scale it to 500,000 outlets within the next 12 months. Alongside the growing footprint of Pesapal POS devices, Safaricom says it will continue to accelerate the rollout of innovative payment solutions. The companies expect these features to enhance convenience, simplify transactions, and meet the changing needs of customers and businesses.
The collaboration between Safaricom and Pesapal signals a significant step for mobile money at the physical checkout in Kenya. By combining dynamic QR codes, tap-to-pay, and AI-powered receipt scanning, the two companies are expanding M-Pesa's role beyond person-to-person transfers and into everyday merchant payments. The planned expansion to 500,000 merchant outlets underlines the scale of Safaricom's ambition for the next phase of digital payments.