How to send money to Kenya in 2026: to a dollar account, in shillings and to a mobile wallet
Kenya receives money from abroad in 1-3 business days by three routes: a dollar account credits it without exchange, a shilling account at the bank's rate, and a mobile wallet up to 250,000 shillings at a time. In 2026 a Kenyan bank asks who sent the sum and why, and from $10,000 asks for a statement or a salary certificate.
In short
- The central bank rate on 7 October 2026 is 129.89 shillings per dollar.
- To a mobile wallet: up to 250,000 shillings at a time and 500,000 a day.
- A bank account needs a tax number, and a foreigner gets it online.
- A foreigner gets land on a lease of up to 99 years, and buys a flat on general terms.
In detail
In 2026 money is sent to Kenya to a bank account in shillings or dollars and to a mobile wallet: up to 250,000 shillings, which is $2,000, per transfer. The country has had no currency control since 1995. The central bank rate on 7 October 2026 is 129.89 shillings per dollar, and there is no gift tax.
| Where the money arrives | Status on 8 October 2026 | Currency | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar or euro account at a bank | works | the currency without exchange | no limit |
| Shilling account | works | shillings at the bank's rate | no limit |
| Mobile wallet | works | shillings | 250,000 shillings at a time, 500,000 a day |
| Transfer between banks within the country | works around the clock | shillings | 999,999 shillings per transfer |
Status on 8 October 2026. The weighted average rate of the Central Bank of Kenya on 7 October 2026 is 129.89 shillings per dollar; for almost the whole year the rate has stayed between 129.5 and 129.9.
No currency control: shillings or dollars in the account
Kenya repealed its exchange control law in 1995, and since then money has come in and gone out through banks without central bank permission. A bank credits a transfer from abroad in shillings at its own rate, or in the same currency if the recipient has a dollar, euro or pound account. Such accounts are opened both for residents of the country and for non-residents.
The shilling rate floats, and the central bank only smooths out sharp swings. So a large sum is conveniently held in a dollar account and changed in parts when money is needed for spending. The capital is covered on the Nairobi page.
A tax number for an account in Kenya
Under the 2015 tax procedures law a bank opens an account only with a tax number, for both residents and foreigners. A foreigner gets the number online on the tax authority's portal. A foreign investor with only dividends and interest can get an exemption from the number on application, a rule in force since 2022.
A foreigner without a residence permit opens an account at a branch with a passport, a tax number and proof of address, and some banks ask for a reference letter from a bank or an employer.
A transfer to a mobile wallet: 250,000 shillings at a time
An international transfer to a mobile wallet is credited in shillings. Under the limits approved by the central bank, up to 250,000 shillings go through in one transaction, and up to 500,000, which is $3,900, per day and as a wallet balance. Since September 2025 up to 500,000 shillings at a time can be moved from a wallet to a bank account. Need a larger sum? A manager will split the route between the wallet and the bank.
Between banks in seconds: up to 999,999 shillings
The Kenya Bankers Association's interbank instant payment system has worked since 2017: around the clock, by account or phone number, with more than 80 participants, up to 999,999 shillings per transfer, which is $7,700. From abroad money goes to a bank by its international code: Kenya has no international account number format, so the sender is given the bank code, sometimes with a branch code, the account number and the recipient's name exactly as at the bank.
$5.04 billion in 2025: where families send money from
The Central Bank of Kenya publishes transfers from abroad by month and by country. In 2025 $5.04 billion arrived, 1.9% more than in 2024. The most came from the United States, $2.73 billion or 54%, followed by the United Kingdom with $361 million and Saudi Arabia with $303 million. In January-August 2026 $3.34 billion arrived.
Tax: income from Kenya, 15% on interest, gifts without tax
Income tax in Kenya is charged on income earned in the country or from a Kenyan source; of income from abroad, a resident's salary for work outside the country is taxed. There has been no gift or inheritance tax since 1982, so money from family is not taxed. The bank withholds 15% from deposit interest, and a resident of the country does not declare it.
A flat in Nairobi or a house by the ocean: land on a 99-year lease
The Constitution of Kenya, Article 65, gives a foreigner land on a lease of up to 99 years, and the lease is then renewed. A foreigner buys a flat in an apartment building on general terms: since 28 December 2020 each flat has had its own title document under the sectional properties law.
In 2026 the buyer pays stamp duty of 4% of the price in a town and 2% outside towns, and the seller pays 15% capital gains tax. A flat for $150,000 is 19,483,500 shillings at the rate of 7 October 2026 and $6,000 of stamp duty in Nairobi or Mombasa. A manager will check the documents for the land and the flat before the transfer.
What papers to prepare for a bank in Kenya
Banks check clients under the 2009 proceeds of crime and anti-money laundering law as amended in 2023, and the Central Bank of Kenya supervises banks and mobile money. In 2026 the papers depend on the sum:
| Sum | What the bank in Kenya wants to know | Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $10,000 | who sent it and why | the purpose line and the link to the recipient |
| $10,000 - $100,000 | where the sum comes from | a statement for recent months, a salary certificate or a contract |
| From $100,000 | the whole path of the money and the purpose | a property sale contract, a tax return, a land lease or flat purchase contract |
Documents for a large sum are prepared in advance, and then the bank credits it on the day it arrives. Countries for moving with capital are compared on the capital relocation page.
We will help you with a transfer to Kenya
A large sum to a wallet instead of an account, an account without a tax number, buying a flat without checking the land lease term: small things like these cost a transfer money and time. We will look at your purpose, suggest the currency and route, prepare documents for the bank in Kenya and carry out the transfer through licensed partners through to crediting.
Details and terms are with a manager in the chat: everything depends on the sum, the currency and the purpose of the transfer to Kenya.
Kenya's neighbours in East Africa and on the Indian Ocean
- Tanzania: the neighbour to the south.
- Somalia: dollars and instant payments.
- Ethiopia: the neighbour to the north.
- Uganda: the neighbour to the west.
- South Sudan: 5,669.42 pounds per dollar.
- Djibouti: a franc pegged to the dollar.
Choosing a country to move to with your money is covered on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
How much can be sent to a mobile wallet in Kenya at a time?
Is a tax number needed to open an account in Kenya?
How long is a foreigner's land lease in Kenya under the constitution?
How much does a bank in Kenya withhold from deposit interest?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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