How to Deposit Money Into a Bank Account Using M-PESA
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Many Kenyan banks accept deposits from M-PESA through Pay Bill. The bank’s business number identifies the receiving bank, while the account reference tells it where to credit the money.
Before you send
Confirm the current Paybill and account-reference format on your bank’s official website or app. Do not assume a bank’s loan-repayment Paybill is the same as its deposit Paybill.
Steps
- Make sure your M-PESA balance covers the amount and any applicable charges.
- Open the M-PESA menu and select Lipa na M-PESA, then Pay Bill.
- Enter the business number confirmed by your bank.
- Enter the account number or reference exactly as the bank instructs.
- Enter the amount.
- Review the details, enter your M-PESA PIN privately and confirm.
- Keep the M-PESA message. Check the bank balance or bank confirmation before treating the deposit as complete.
For example, Standard Chartered’s official guide uses business number 329329 and the customer’s Standard Chartered account number. Other banks have their own instructions.
If the deposit does not appear
Keep the transaction code, date, amount and account reference. Contact the bank through its official channels to trace the payment. Avoid sending a second payment until the first is accounted for.
Warning: A successful M-PESA message confirms the mobile-money transaction. It does not by itself prove that you entered the intended bank account correctly.
