Vodacom Tanzania today announced the launch of M‑Pesa Global Payment, a sweeping upgrade that enables cross-border transactions from Tanzania to merchants around the globe. The move, done in partnership with Visa, Alipay (via Thunes), TerraPay, MTN Uganda, and others, marks a major milestone for digital trade and financial inclusion across Africa and beyond.
With M-Pesa Global Payment, customers can now: tap to pay at any Visa-enabled merchant worldwide using a tokenised M-Pesa Visa card; transact with merchants on Alipay in China; make purchases in Dubai through the TerraPay network; or pay merchants in Uganda directly into MTN MoMo wallets, all from the familiar M-Pesa menu or the M-Pesa Super App.
This offering arrives at a time when mobile money is rapidly growing in Tanzania. Between 2020 and 2024, mobile money subscriptions nearly doubled, reflecting a strong shift toward cashless transactions nationwide.
Vodacom’s M-Pesa Global Payment: New corridors, new opportunities
According to Epimack Mbeteni, Director of M-Pesa at Vodacom Tanzania, the new partnerships enable people and businesses to transact internationally with the same ease as local payments, securely, instantly, and without the cost or complexity of traditional banking. These corridors open up new trade routes, reduce the cost of doing business and give merchants and consumers enhanced access to the global digital economy.
For many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), cross-border trading has often been constrained by a lack of reliable payment mechanisms. Now, with M-Pesa Global Payment, a Tanzanian retailer could source goods from Dubai or China, and pay directly from their mobile wallet. That kind of frictionless payment could redefine regional trade dynamics.
The collaboration with Visa brings a first-of-its-kind Tap & Pay solution in Africa, enabling contactless payments via mobile devices. As Victor Makere, Visa’s Tanzania country manager, explained, tokenisation enhances security and convenience, allowing M-Pesa customers to pay globally without exposing their card details.
Meanwhile, Thunes’ global payment rails power payments through Alipay in China, giving Tanzanian businesses a direct link into one of the world’s largest e-commerce ecosystems.
The inclusion of TerraPay extends M-Pesa’s reach to Dubai, a key trade hub, connecting African users to Middle Eastern markets.
And for regional players, MTN Uganda’s involvement ensures that East African merchants and consumers can transact seamlessly across borders, streamlining business for SMEs operating in multiple markets.
All of these payment options are accessible directly via the M-Pesa USSD menu or M-Pesa Super App, an important detail that keeps the process simple for users who are already familiar with the platform.
As mobile money continues its upward trajectory across East Africa, M-Pesa Global Payment could significantly accelerate cross-border commerce, improve access to global markets for Tanzanian businesses, and expand financial inclusion beyond domestic borders.
This launch cements Vodacom’s ambition to turn M-Pesa into not just a domestic mobile-money solution, but a global payment platform that empowers consumers and merchants to participate fully in international trade and digital commerce.
