Pesalink Awards Reveal Kenya’s Strongest Performers In Instant Payments

Integrated Payment Services Limited (IPSL), the operator of Pesalink, has held its inaugural awards to establish new benchmarks for instant account-to-account payments in Kenya. Thirteen banks were recognised for their role in strengthening trust, improving affordability and delivering simplicity in digital payments.

This recognition comes as Africa’s digital payments ecosystem continues to expand at pace, and are expected to reach USD 1.5 trillion in value by 2030, driven by increasing internet penetration and broader access to financial services. In Kenya, Pesalink has emerged as the country’s de facto instant payments network, connecting over 80 banks, SACCOs, fintechs and telcos, and enabling seamless, real-time transfers between institutions.

Between January and October 2025, IPSL analysed verified data from the Pesalink Instant Payments Dashboard to assess performance across the network. In 2024 alone, Pesalink processed USD 8.53 billion(KSh 1.1 trillion)  in transaction value across 8.2 million instant payments, with an end-user transaction success rate of 98 per cent and system uptime of 99.99 per cent in January 2025. The average transaction size during this period was USD 1,048 (Kes 135,236) and 51 per cent of all payments processed were business-related, highlighting Pesalink’s growing role in supporting Kenya’s wider economy.

“By grounding recognition in verified performance data, we ensure that excellence in instant payments is not just celebrated but measured. This transparency builds confidence for customers and motivates banks to continually raise the bar,” said Gituku Kirika, CEO of IPSL. “Every successful instant transfer represents trust fulfilled. These awards highlight the banks that are making payments faster, safer, and more affordable for millions of Kenyans.”

Banks were ranked across four key performance areas: Transaction Success Rate, Service Availability, Weighted Growth Rate, and Simplicity and Affordability. These categories assessed reliability, system responsiveness, customer adoption, scale, cost-effectiveness and ease of use, key factors in determining the quality and consistency of instant payment services for customers.

Transaction Success Rate

This measures the percentage of transfers completed successfully without errors, reflecting reliability and operational efficiency.

1st – Bank of Africa
2nd – Bank of Baroda
3rd – National Bank of Kenya

Service Availability

This tracks system uptime and responsiveness, ensuring users can make instant transfers at any time.

1st – Bank of Baroda
2nd – Commercial International Bank Kenya
3rd – Dubai Islamic Bank

Weighted Growth Rate

This captures growth in transactions across the network, indicating adoption and scale of service.

1st – Equity Bank
2nd – I&M Bank
3rd – KCB Bank Kenya

Simplicity and Affordability

This evaluates user experience and cost-effectiveness, making instant payments accessible to more customers.

1st – SBM Bank
2nd – M Oriental Commercial Bank
3rd – Equity Bank

Beyond performance metrics, IPSL also recognised institutions making a broader impact on the growth and development of the ecosystem:

Special Recognitions

These awards highlight banks contributing to ecosystem growth and innovation beyond operational metrics.

• Pesalink Adoption Champion: Equity Bank, I&M Bank, KCB Bank
• Early Adopter: SBM Bank
• Ecosystem Collaboration Champion: Cooperative Bank of Kenya

Overall, Equity Bank and SBM Bank stood out by earning multiple recognitions, demonstrating consistent leadership in both operational performance and ecosystem support.

IPSL Board Chairman Jeremy Ngunze commented , “These awards set a new benchmark for service quality in Kenya’s payments ecosystem. They show that reliable, affordable instant transfers are no longer optional—they are the standard customers deserve. Recognizing leaders in instant payments is about more than competition. It’s about strengthening trust in digital finance and accelerating Kenya’s journey toward a truly inclusive national payments network.”