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Visa, KCB rollout new merchants pay system
KCB Branch in Nairobi. KCB retained part of the assets and liabilities held in the National Bank of Kenya even as the bank was transferred to Nigeria's Access Bank.
KCB Bank Kenya has partnered with Visa to push digital payments, striking a deal that allows merchants to pay for purchases using their smartphones and shift from the traditional point-of-sale (POS) machines.
The bank says the move removes the need for expensive payment terminals, cutting costs for small businesses that have long struggled to adopt digital payments due to high equipment prices.
In the new system, the technology turns smartphones into payment acceptance tools, making it easier for traders to receive card payments wherever they operate across the country.
KCB says the rollout supports its wider digital strategy aimed at giving customers faster, simpler, and more reliable ways to pay and get paid in everyday commercial transactions.
“This collaboration with Visa brings to life a powerful solution that gives every merchant the ability to accept digital payments using just a smartphone,” said Jane Isiaho, KCB Bank Kenya director of retail and banking.
“We’re simplifying access to payment acceptance, reducing operational costs, and empowering merchants to serve customers faster and more securely.”
The development comes at a time when millions of cards are issued yearly, yet merchant acceptance lags because many traders cannot afford or maintain conventional card payment devices.
The smartphone-based acceptance is poised to reshape competition in Kenya’s payments market by offering merchants a cheaper alternative to existing digital payment channels that dominate retail transactions.
The shift is seen as important since small businesses form the backbone of the economy, yet remain heavily cash-dependent due to limited access to practical and affordable digital payment solutions.
KCB executives have committed that the bank will continue expanding support services to ensure merchants can onboard quickly, resolve issues easily, and adopt the new payment option without operational disruptions.
According to Visa, the system will particularly help informal traders, delivery workers, and service providers who need flexible, low-cost tools to accept payments wherever their customers are located.
