Safaricom’s FY26 results reveal a 62% surge in active cardholders, signalling a quiet but significant shift in how Kenyans transact globally
If you have been putting off activating your M-PESA GlobalPay Visa Card, you are now officially in the minority.
Safaricom’s full-year results for the financial year ended 31 March 2026, released today, reveal that active customers on the M-PESA GlobalPay Visa Card reached 316,500, up 62.1% from 195,200 in the prior year. That is roughly 121,000 new cardholders added in a single financial year, a rate of growth that signals the virtual card has moved well past its early-adopter phase and into mainstream usage.
The numbers behind the card tell a fuller story. Transaction volumes hit 8.5 million, up 36.5% year-on-year, while the total value transacted climbed to KES 12 billion, a 38.1% increase from KES 8.7 billion in FY25.
What is the M-PESA GlobalPay Visa Card?
The M-PESA GlobalPay Virtual Visa Card is a collaboration between M-PESA and Visa. The virtual card is linked directly to your M-PESA wallet and enables payments on international online sites for goods and services. There is no complex application process or lengthy wait time. As long as you have an active M-PESA account, a virtual Visa card is available for activation through the M-PESA app or via USSD.
The card allows customers to shop using their mobile money account at more than 100 million merchants across 200 countries through Visa’s global network, opening e-commerce opportunities and making international transactions significantly easier for Kenyans both at home and when travelling.
Why the growth matters
The card’s growth also reflects a broader behavioural shift. Kenyans are spending more online, subscribing to global streaming platforms, purchasing from international e-commerce sites, and paying for digital tools, and they are increasingly doing so through M-PESA rather than applying for a bank-issued card. Common use cases include payments to international merchants such as Alibaba, Netflix, and Amazon.
For a country where formal card penetration has historically been low, the virtual card model removes a significant barrier. No bank visit, no credit check, no waiting. Just an M-PESA account and a few taps on your phone.
How to activate yours
Open the My OneApp, go to the Global Payments section, select M-pesa Visa Card (GlobalPay), and follow the prompts. You will receive a confirmation message with your 16-digit card number, expiry date, and CVV number within minutes. The card has a daily spending limit of KES 300,000. It is also possible to activate Fuliza on the GlobalPay card. Simply toggle on the “Enable FULIZA for Globalpay” option on the GlobalPay menu.
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Also Read: M-PESA’s Jason Masai: “Too Much Fintech Innovation Doesn’t Work for Everyday Users”