What is the M-PESA daily limit?

KES 500,000 in total per day (rolling 24-hour window that resets at 00:00 East Africa Time). The single-transaction cap sits underneath at KES 250,000.

What is the maximum M-PESA balance?

KES 500,000. Your M-PESA wallet cannot hold more than KES 500,000 at any one time. If an incoming payment would push the balance above the cap, the send is rejected and the sender keeps the funds.

What is the minimum amount I can withdraw at an M-PESA agent?

KES 50. Agent withdrawals below KES 50 are not allowed. If you need to move a smaller amount, transfer it to another M-PESA user first (free below KES 100).

Why do these M-PESA limits exist?

The Central Bank of Kenya sets caps on mobile money wallets under the Prudential Guidelines on Payment Service Providers. The limits balance financial inclusion (needing large enough caps for real commerce) against anti-money-laundering and consumer-protection rules.

When did the current M-PESA limits change?

The 250,000 per-transaction and 500,000 per-day caps were introduced in 2022. Before then, the caps sat at 150,000 per transaction and 300,000 per day (set in March 2020 during the COVID-19 relief measures). Before March 2020 the caps were 70,000 per transaction and 140,000 per day.

What do I do if I hit the daily limit?

Wait until 00:00 East Africa Time for the daily counter to reset. For urgent large transfers, use a bank transfer (RTGS or PesaLink) which have much higher daily ceilings, or split the send across an M-PESA send today and a bank transfer for the balance.

M-PESA limits 2026: 250K per send, 500K wallet, 500K/day

M-PESA allows a maximum of KES 250,000 per transaction, KES 500,000 per day, KES 500,000 as an account balance, and KES 50 as the minimum agent withdrawal. The per-transaction and daily caps were raised to their current levels by the Central Bank of Kenya in 2022. The wallet balance and daily transaction caps are the same number, KES 500,000, which is a deliberate design choice, not a coincidence.

M-PESA limits at a glance (2026)

Limit type	Amount (KES)	Notes
Maximum per single transaction	250,000	Applies to send-money, agent withdrawal, ATM withdrawal, paybill, and Buy Goods.
Maximum total per day	500,000	Rolling counter resets at 00:00 East Africa Time.
Maximum wallet balance	500,000	Incoming payments are rejected if they would push the balance above the cap.
Minimum agent withdrawal	50	Withdrawals below KES 50 are not accepted at any agent.

Source: Safaricom M-PESA Consumer Tariffs and Limits, last updated 4 August 2026 (safaricom.co.ke).

Why the limits exist

The caps are set by the Central Bank of Kenya, not by Safaricom. Under the CBK Prudential Guidelines on Payment Service Providers, mobile money wallets must operate within transaction and balance caps that balance three things:

Financial inclusion. The caps must be high enough for M-PESA to be useful for real commerce (school fees, land deposits, small-business payments).
Anti-money-laundering (AML). Large flows through mobile money must stay traceable. Caps push high-value transactions into bank channels where enhanced due diligence applies.
Consumer protection. A cap limits total loss if a wallet is compromised. A stolen SIM cannot drain an account beyond KES 500,000.

When the M-PESA caps last changed

Before March 2020. Per-transaction cap KES 70,000, daily cap KES 140,000, wallet balance KES 100,000.
March 2020. Raised to KES 150,000 per transaction and KES 300,000 per day as a COVID-19 relief measure to reduce cash handling.
2022. Raised again to the current KES 250,000 per transaction, KES 500,000 per day, and KES 500,000 wallet balance.
2026. Unchanged. Confirmed on the current Safaricom tariff sheet (verified 29 August 2026).

What to do when you hit the daily limit

The daily counter resets at midnight East Africa Time. If you tried to send after already moving KES 500,000 today, the transfer is rejected with the error "You have exceeded your daily transaction limit". Your options:

Wait until 00:00 EAT. The counter resets automatically. This is fine for anything that can wait a few hours.
Use a bank transfer for the balance. RTGS and PesaLink carry much higher daily ceilings. For land, vehicle, or property deposits, banks are the intended channel anyway.
Split across two days. Send KES 500,000 today and the balance tomorrow. Coordinate with the recipient so they know it is coming in two tranches.
Verify the recipient is under their own balance cap. If your send would push the recipient over KES 500,000, it is rejected on their end. Ask them to move some funds out first.

Limits vs fees: two different questions

This page is about the caps on what you can move. For what it costs to move it, see the dedicated fee guides. They share the same 2026 verification date and the same source.

M-PESA send-money fees 2026: every band from free (up to KES 100) to the KES 108 cap.
M-PESA withdrawal charges 2026: agent and ATM tariffs, KES 11 to KES 309.
Paybill vs Buy Goods charges: why paying a Till is free but paying a paybill often is not.
Paybill vs Till comparison: which channel to pick for a given payment.

Calculate the fee within your limit

Once you know the cap applies, work out the fee with the M-PESA send and withdraw cost calculator. Every 2026 band is loaded.