You can’t use Cash App in Kenya, but there is an indirect way you can use it to receive payments from your clients in the USA and the UK. Learn how you can get paid through Cash App with IntaSend.
If you are a heavy social media user or you frequently pay for goods and services online, you have likely heard about Cash App. As ubiquitous as the P2P payment app has become, you would be surprised to know that Cash App is not as widely accessible.
This article explores the topic of the availability of Cash App in Kenya. We will also discuss why the mobile money transfer app is so popular and what alternatives there are for those who can’t access it.
Let’s get started.
What is Cash App?
Cash App is a peer-to-peer payment app that lets users send and receive money through their mobile phones as well as receive direct deposits. Cash App was launched as Square App back in 2013 by Block Inc., which was then known as Square Inc.
Launched as a direct competitor of PayPal, Cash App is not a bank. It is a fintech tool that offers banking services and debit cards through its partner banks.
Cash App is currently only available in two countries, the United States of America and the United Kingdom. This means people outside these two countries, including Kenya and the whole African continent, cannot use Cash App.
Why Is Cash App So Popular?
Cash App’s tagline, ‘Do More With Your Money’, perfectly encapsulates the app’s popularity and massive appeal with people in Kenya and other parts of the world where it is not available.
Cash App enables users to do what users of other P2P payment apps and digital banks simply can’t do. Among its many convenient features, Cash App allows users to:
- Send and receive money through their mobile app,
- Purchase stocks and bitcoin from within the app,
- Receive direct deposits into their linked bank accounts,
- Acquire a Visa debit card you can use for purchases,
- Make instant transfers to your linked bank account,
- Save money from your balance and linked balance, all within the app,
In the true spirit of doing more with your money, users can buy shares for as little as $1 through the Cash App. Such small amounts enable people who would not normally have enough money to invest in stocks to buy what are known as fractional shares.
There’s more you can do with Cash App, most of which does not even attract a fee. The cherry on top for users, many of whom use it for receiving and making payments is that cash transfers are instant. In most cases, the transferred money is available to use immediately.
All these innovative features and benefits have contributed to making CashApp the second-largest digital bank in the United States. It also helps that Cash App has top-rate customer support.
How Does CashApp Work?
To use Cash App, you must first download the mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Other than your data and time, this does not cost you anything.
Below are some of the things you can do with your CashApp account;
Send and receive money
To get the full Cash App experience, you will want to link it to your existing bank account. This will be your primary payment source. From the mobile app, you can send and receive money from the green payment tab, where you’ll see the “Pay” and “Request” options to create a payment.
You must create a unique username as soon as you have set up your account. The username is called a $Cashtag. You can search for the individuals you want to send or request payments from using their $Cashtags. You can also search for them using their email address, phone number, or name.
Buy shares in companies
One of CashApp’s most impressive features is that it allows users to invest in stocks for as little as $1. Whether you are a seasoned investor or a complete beginner, CashApp lets you buy shares or, for those with not enough money to buy a full share unit, buy whatever fraction of a stock their money allows them.
And just to make sure no one is locked out of the stock market, Cash App does not charge commissions to users who buy stocks through their platform. Instead, it gives users a wide range of funds and stocks to choose from.
All a user has to do is identify the stock they want to buy, set their amount, verify some personal information, and confirm the transaction with their PIN.
Trading and sending Bitcoin
CashApp also lets users tap into the Bitcoin craze. Through the app, users can buy and sell and even send some of their Bitcoin balance to family and friends.
You can also transfer your Bitcoin balance to a different digital wallet on the blockchain, so there’s enough variety to make it a diverse experience.
Questions Frequently Asked About Cash App
With a popular mobile money app like Cash App people are naturally going to have many questions. Below we answer some of those questions.
Is CashApp Safe?
Cash App uses the latest encryption technology to protect its users from hackers and scammers. It also allows you to set a security lock that requires a passcode every time you want to perform a transaction from your app.
In case of a stolen or lost cash card, you can easily disable the card from within the app to prevent people from accessing your funds.
Does CashApp Offer a Debit Card?
Every CashApp user has access to a debit card linked to their Cash App account. Called a Cash Card, this debit card allows you to make online purchases and withdraw cash from ATMs. You can also link it to digital wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay.
If you receive direct deposits of at least $300 monthly, CashApp will reimburse the ATM fees you will have been charged that month. The ATM fees are charged at $2 per ATM transaction.
Does Cash App have transaction limits?
Yes, Cash App does indeed place limits on how much you can withdraw from your balance per transaction and given time period. The P2P payment app allows users to withdraw a maximum of $310 per transaction, $1,000 per 24-hour period, and $ 10,000 per seven-day period.
Is Cash App free to use?
It will not cost you any money to download and set up the Cash App mobile app. While Cash App doesn’t charge fees for many of its services, it does charge fees for ATM transactions, Bitcoin trading, and instant transfers.
For Bitcoin transactions, the fee you’ll be charged will be displayed before you complete the transaction.
Can you use Cash App in Kenya?
Although CashApp is one of the most popular peer-to-peer payment platforms in the world, it is only supported in two countries - the United States and the United Kingdom. It is therefore not available in Kenya.
Cash App isn’t even available in Canada, a country most US technology companies typically don’t consider to be too different from the USA market. People there must use other platforms, like PayPal, to transfer money across borders.
It is possible that banking regulations and compliance complications are the reasons why Cash App has so far not expanded into mass markets like Canada, China, and India.
While Cash App is not available in Kenya, there is a way freelancers and people serving foreign clients online can get paid through it. The best part is the solution is a local fintech tool.
How to Get Paid in Kenya Using Cash App
Since 2018, Cash App uses have been able to trade, send, and receive Bitcoin through the app. Importantly, the Bitcoin feature allows users to send and receive Bitcoin to and from other crypto wallet holders that are not necessarily Cash App users.
What this means is that people that live in countries where CashApp is not available can receive payments from CashApp users in the United States and the United Kingdom. Those payments only need to be in the form of Bitcoin.
So while Cash App is not supported outside the UK and the USA, people in Kenya and other countries aren’t completely locked out. The Bitcoin feature offers an indirect way of accessing payments through Cash App.
As an African freelancer, this has come as a relief, knowing there’s a way you can receive your payments from an employer whose only option is Cash App.
So, how do you receive Bitcoin payments in Kenya?
Using IntaSend to receive Bitcoin payments in Kenya
With the IntaSend payment gateway, Bitcoin is one of the payment options available to users. The Pay With Bitcoin feature is an indirect way of receiving payments from employers in the United States whose only option is Cash App. You can get that Bitcoin paid directly into your IntaSend account in Kenya.
IntaSend supports both the faster Lightning Network and the regular Bitcoin payment option. The Lightning Network is a new Bitcoin payment that allows payments to be processed faster through a decentralized network.
To request a Bitcoin payment, IntaSend allows you to make a request through a QR code that contains your wallet address. The QR code the system generates will be forwarded to your customer within minutes.
5 Benefits of Receiving Bitcoin Payments to Your IntaSend Account Through Cash App
IntaSend is not your only option for Bitcoin payments. So you must be wondering why you must choose it when several other options exist. Below are some of the benefits of receiving Bitcoin from CashApp with IntaSend:
No blockchain confirmation
If you’ve ever used any other wallet to perform crypto transactions, you know it could take some time to process these transactions on the blockchain before they eventually go through. That’s because of a process called blockchain confirmation that verifies the legitimacy of a cryptocurrency transaction before it’s processed.
However, sending Bitcoin through CashApp allows you to receive your payments without blockchain confirmation. Transactions are processed immediately without the need to confirm on the blockchain. The benefit is you don’t have to deal with the anxiety of waiting for your Bitcoin payments to finish processing.
Liquidity cover
For a financial asset whose value is determined by demand and supply, Bitcoin is not immune to fluctuations in value. IntaSend understands that users will be wary of exposure to loss of value should the Bitcoin price drop.
IntaSend provides cover for these fluctuations in the price of Bitcoin by automatically converting the Bitcoin you receive from clients to fiat currency using the best exchange rate possible. This significantly minimizes your exposure.
Easy website integration
Through the IntaSend Bitcoin payment API, you can easily add Bitcoin as a payment option on your website or mobile application. Customers will see Bitcoin listed as a payment option on the check out page.
Clients who installed the API before we added Bitcoin as a payment option can easily integrate it into your current website by updating the WebSDK to see the new Bitcoin payment option.
Fast withdrawal of funds
After you get a payment for services offered you want to access your earnings as quickly as possible. IntaSend converts your Bitcoin to fiat currency immediately after the transaction, which means you have the option to immediately withdraw the funds to your preferred bank account.
24/7 customer support
IntaSend’s support team is always a phone call, email, or live chat away. So you can be sure that support is available for any queries you may have about your Bitcoin payments.
The best part? The IntaSend payment gateway works 24/7, so you can be guaranteed to get paid, even on weekends.
Why We Need Cash App to Work in Kenya
The freelance market is growing daily, and Africa is responsible for a huge chunk of that growth. The continent is currently experiencing rapid economic dynamism, thanks to the rapid growth of freelancing and the evolution of the online business ecosystem, which has opened previously inaccessible global markets.
According to a study by Payoneer, Africa holds up to 10.1% of the total freelance workforce, which is a big number. In Kenya, the number of people involved in freelance work is growing rapidly.
A common challenge for African freelancers is getting your payments from international clients. Many international clients, particularly those in the United States, prefer using US-based providers such as PayPal, Payoneer, and Cash App to pay their freelancers.
Even though Payoneer is accessible in much of Africa, with the exception of Kenya and a few other countries, PayPal isn’t. The two international payments processors also have many restrictions and limits for their African users.
We have a detailed guide on PayPal challenges for African freelancers. You can read it here.
Cash App, on the other hand, is not accessible anywhere in Africa. But the P2P payment platform is very popular in the USA, which makes it a preferred payment option for employers there. Many will simply not work with you unless they can pay through Cash App. Though PayPal, which is accessible in Kenya, is an option many American clients feel its fees are too high.
So Cash App support in Africa will open access to more and possibly better-paying jobs for Africans. As we have found out, the payment platform is not available at all in Africa unless your clients are prepared to pay you using Bitcoin, in which case you will be able to redeem your earnings through IntaSend:
Using IntaSend to Receive Your Bitcoin Payments - FAQs
- How do I start using IntaSend?
To start accessing your Bitcoin payments through IntaSend all you need is to sign up for a free account. To sign up, you will be asked to submit your personal information - email address, phone number, and preferred password. After filling in a few details about your business, you will receive an email to confirm your new account.
- How much does it cost to create an IntaSend account?
It costs nothing to create an account with IntaSend. Registration is completely free.
- Are there charges for using my IntaSend account?
IntaSend has transaction charges for card payments, mobile money transactions, or ACH. That said, our fees are some of the lowest on the market. For example, it is cheaper to receive international payments with IntaSend than with PayPal and Payoneer.
- Which documents do I need to use the service?
To protect users' funds and personal information and to ensure compliance with anti-money laundering laws, IntaSend has made identity verification a high priority.
After completing an individual verification step, depending on your account type, documents you may be asked to submit include Business Registration and KRA Tax Certificates. Learn more about account verification and required documents here.
- How long does it take for my IntaSend account to be approved?
After creating an account, you need to submit your verification documents. Our compliance team will review and invite you for a live screening meeting. This process normally takes 1 business day.
- Can you use Cash App in Kenya?
Cash App is not available in Kenya or anywhere in Africa. The payment platform is only available in the USA and the UK. That said, IntaSend account holders in Kenya can receive payments from Cash App users in the UK and the USA through our Pay With Bitcoin option.
Once the Bitcoin is in your IntaSend account, you can then convert it to KES at the prevailing rate and withdraw it through M-Pesa or your preferred method. You can do all that from within the IntaSend app.
Add Cash App Users to Your Freelance Clients And Access Your Payments Through IntaSend
CashApp may be one of the best peer-to-peer payment platforms in the world but it is not available outside the USA and the UK. That removes it as an option for receiving and making international payments for people in Kenya.
While receiving direct cash payments from CashApp users is impossible in Kenya, there’s an indirect way you can still get them to pay you. You can receive those payments in the form of Bitcoin, which you can access in Kenya through IntaSend’s Pay with Bitcoin option.
Cash App users can trade and send Bitcoin. Over here in Kenya, IntaSend allows users to convert the Bitcoin they receive as payments into Kenyan shillings and withdraw through their bank or M-Pesa. Though you need IntaSend to connect the two, you can, therefore, say that Cash App is one of the apps that pay in Kenya via M-Pesa
If you can convince your clients to pay through IntaSend, you can avoid Cash App altogether and receive your payments directly in USD or Bitcoin. IntaSend allows you to generate an invoice and payment link that you can send to your clients.
Sign up for a free IntaSend account today and start receiving your payments from your US and UK clients that insist on paying through Cash App.
Cover photo by Tech Daily on Unsplash
