MPESA can now be accessed through a USSD shortcode by dialing *334#. The new accessmethod has been rolled out today by Safaricom as a shortcut ease access of the mobile money transfer service.
Presently, MPESA hosts over 25million active customers in Kenya alone, and now, with a new rollout of USSD method, more subscribers will be able to use the service with or without a Smartphone.
According to the Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa, the company’s new USSD method will pair well with existing MPESA access methods which include the mySafaricom App, and SIM toolkit to making the service more acccesible.
We have embarked on a strategy to simplify our range of products and services for our customers and to provide them with an even better experience. M-PESA on *334# is our first solution as part of the ongoing strategy and it refines how our customers interact with the service. Customers now have the opportunity to truly confirm the details of a transaction before it can progress making reversals a thing of the past
Safaricom CEO, Peter Ndegwa
How to Use the New MPESA *334# USSD Shortcode
Dial *334# to get started
Just like any other USSD shortcode, you can use the new dedicated money transfer code by accessing your phone’s dial pad. Then, once you dial *334#, you’re presented with a list of MPESA services you can use, including:
- Send Money
- Withdraw Cash
- Buy Airtime
- Loans and Services
- Financial Services
- Lipa na MPESA
- My Account
- Mfuko wa Biashara
So, MPESA can now be accessed with a USSD code, this means, feature phone customers will be able to use the service with ease since the current Kenya Smartphone penetration rate stands at 40%.
At 60% the ratio of non-smartphone users outperforms the 40% Smartphone rate. Hence the new shortcode will allow more subscribers to access MPESA without screening through SIM toolkit or the mySafaricom App.