Digital rails are set to continue dominating Kenya's payments industry in 2026 by enabling faster, cheaper, and more seamless transactions through a combination of real-time systems, mobile money, and regulated digital assets. The need for innovation in a rapidly evolving digital economy, increasing internet and mobile usage, and supportive government policies like the new Virtual Asset Service Providers Act are pushing the market to expand. Digital rails like M-Pesa and PesaLink are said to rule for the customers because they offer greater efficiency, better security, and the ability to integrate new technologies, allowing businesses and consumers to participate more fully in the digital economy. But what impact does it create for businesses dealing with international suppliers and partners? Let’s dive deeper into the trends for business digital rails in 2026.
Why will digital rails rule 2026?
The digital payments landscape in Kenya is being shaped by several key drivers:
Fuelling economic growth: The expansion of digital payments is significantly boosting Kenya's digital economy, fostering e-commerce, and facilitating the creation of innovative business models.
Meeting consumer demand: Kenyan consumers, already highly familiar with the convenience of digital transactions, are increasingly seeking faster and more integrated experiences for everything from retail purchases to peer-to-peer money transfers.
Favorable regulatory environment: New legislative frameworks, such as the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act andI SO 20022, are establishing a more structured and secure setting for digital assets. This is vital for promoting mainstream adoption and attracting investment.
Driving formalisation and credibility: Clearer rules and payment infrastructure offer a pathway for FinTech companies and digital asset providers to formalise their operations, enhance their credibility, and successfully partner with established traditional financial institutions.
The impact of digital rails on Kenyan businesses
In 2026, evolving regulations are expected to allow organizations to receive significantly more detailed and structured remittance information from customers. As a result, Kenya's digital payment landscape is on the brink of major change, shaped by five key trends and their corresponding effects. Each demand requires a platform that meets the supply:
Demand of speed
With the national payment infrastructure undergoing continuous upgrades, digital migration has become vital for improving both domestic and cross-border transactions by enhancing efficiency, speed, and fraud monitoring capabilities. Businesses are now propelled to use platforms that can provide instant money transfer while having the power to monitor payments across the globe.
Demand of mobile-money
Building on its global leadership, exemplified by M-Pesa, mobile money will cement its role as the dominant transaction method. Its user base will broaden from primarily serving the unbanked to becoming the standard for an increasingly digitally connected mainstream population. Businesses will need to expand on mobile-money usage across the country and optimise cross-border payment platforms that provide the functionality to link the two worlds.
Demand for formalisation
The new Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Act establishes a clear regulatory framework for digital assets, including stablecoins. This regulation will foster more secure, formal, and efficient transactions, especially in the cross-border payment space. The formalisation of payments demands a revolution that can be met with the right platform that delivers solutions catered for Kenyan businesses.
Demand for security and compliance
The digital rail adoption is being supported by significant security enhancements. This includes cutting-edge technologies like tokenisation and AI-driven fraud detection, which will boost the reliability and safety of transactions for both consumers and businesses. Kenyan businesses must invest in platforms that are compliant and can provide the security of seamless payments.
Demand for interoperability and system integration
The payment industry is moving toward greater standardisation, a shift expected to boost connectivity between various payment platforms and established banking systems. While this push for interoperability will ultimately create more flexible and seamless user payment experiences, achieving full stability will be a lengthy process. Therefore, businesses should prioritise building their core payment infrastructure rails using platforms that are already leading the way in the industry.
Verto: your payment revolution in 2026
It’s time for businesses to optimise the impact of digital rails in international business transactions. Verto is a platform that can position your business strongly in the market and be your partner of growth in 2026 providing Verto FX Conversion capabilities for various currencies, beyond USD, Local Account Collections through local accounts at the lowest transaction charges and Payouts to suppliers or any other recipient in no time.
Platforms now hold the ability to provide transparent and competitive FX rates and multi-currency accounts, enabling agencies to pay global suppliers - from agricultural producers in Kenya to tech businesses in the UK - in their local currency. This majorly eliminates double conversion fees, which often silently erode profit margins. By focusing on these areas, cross-border payments can become a profit driver, not just a cost.
Digital platforms are now equipped to offer competitive and transparent FX rates along with multi-currency accounts. This capability allows businesses, such as agencies, to pay their global suppliers, ranging from agricultural producers in Kenya to tech firms in South Africa, directly in the supplier's local currency. A key benefit of this is the elimination of double conversion fees, which are often a hidden drain on profit margins. Consequently, by prioritising these advancements, cross-border payments can transition from being a mere cost to a genuine source of profit.
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